NEW  EDITION    JUST  OUT. 

H 


RESTEL'S 

Secret  Liife 


n 


THESE  WEHE  HER  VICTIMS 


THIS  WAS  THE  WOJWflN 


GfffiS3Gn2Cfi3<M!^ 


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RESTEü'S  SECRET  LIFE 

A  True  History  of  Her 
From  Birth  To  Her  Äatf al  Death  ßy  Her  Own  Wieked  Hands 

FULL  DETAILS  OP 

Her  Thicks  and  Devices,  Wnat  Sne  Did, 

HoW  Site  Did,  HoW  S^e  Got  Rich,  Who 

Her  Yieti^s  Were,  H°W  Cruelly  She 

Held  Then*.    All  About  Her. 

ALSO 

How  a  Place,  Like  Her  City  House,  Was  Broken  up  in 

the  State 

By  REV.  BISHOP  HUNTINGTON 


PUBLISHED  BY 

THE  OLD  FRANKLIN  PUBLISHING  HOUSE 

PHILADELPHIA 


Copyrighted,  1897,  by  The  Old  Franklin  Publishing  House,, 
All  Rights  Reserved. 


• 


RESTELL'S  SECRET  LIFE. 


^-^ 


I  ha  vi  seea  the  wicked  flourish  like  a  green  bay  tree,  but  the  retribu- 
tion comes  at  last  and  crushes  them.  Money,  lands,  diamonds,  or  any 
*ther  form  of  wealth  cannot  alter  the  final  balsnoiif  which  Providenee 
makes  with  them. 

Come  with  us,  reader,  two  hours  past  midnight.  Let  us  enter  this 
mostly  and  magnificent  mansion  of  brown  stone,  rearing  itself  in  the  mo;  t 
aristocratic  portion  of  New  York  City.  Close  the  ponderous  door.  Now 
you  stand  in  a  palace.  On  all  sides  are  the  richest  furnishings  imagin- 
able. Pure  white  Carara  marble,  cut  in  delicate  diamond  tiles  and  tablets, 
lines  the  floors  of  the  hall  passages  and  dining-room.  Do  not  turn  pale 
if  the  marble  tablets,  strangely  enough,  remind  you  of  tomb-stones. 
Tremble  not  if  the  thought  occur  to  you  that  these  tablets  over  which  we 
are  walking,  are  leaves  in  the  book  of  Fate  which  will  be  opened  in  the 
other  world.  Oh,  what  a  volume,  when  unclasped  for  a  guilty  woman's 
final  trial. 

Step  aside  now,  through  this  doorway.  What  richness !  what  regal 
splendor  !  Your  feet  sink  a  full  inch  into  the  velvety  pile  of  the  carpet 
The  furniture,  tables,  chairs,  tete-a-t£tes,  sofas,  jardiniers,  and  paintings, 
all  impress  you  as  wondrous.  Nay,  more,  they  completely  overpower 
you,  and  you  gaze  about  with  an  astonishment  greater  than  that  of  Aladin, 
when  in  his  cave  of  riches  I 

Ah !  what  is  that,  directly  there  before  you  ?  A  superb  stand  support- 
ing a  glass  case  of  exquisite  workmanship !  Approach  !  look  !  what ! 
surely  have  we  not  made  a  blunder  ?  This  is  not  the  den  of  an  abortionist, 
filled  like  a  charnel-house,  with  the  invisible  bones  of  her  victims!  No! 
no !  it  cannot  be !  for  within  that  glass  case  is  a  Bible — a  Holy  Bible, 
lying  there  on  its  splendid  satin  cushion,  even  as  a  guardian  angel! 
Alas!  no!  touch  it  not!  it  is  a  defiled,  un-holy  thing!  a  vile  cheat,  a 
devil  in  the  livery  of  Heaven.  It  was  deliberately  bought  with  blood 
money  for  a  purpose,  like  the  beacon  fire  of  the  coast  wrecker  is  kindled 

3 


Si 


4  restell's  secret  life. 

to  mislead  and  insure  destruction  to  the  mariner.  We  can  bear  the 
ogress  of  this  abode  as  she  laughingly  said  once  in  explanation  to  a  confi- 
dential friend — 

"  Ha !  ha!  that  bible's  the  best  trick  I  ever  got  up.  You  see,  when 
my  customers  come  to  me  they're  generally  always  nervous  with  their 
danger,  and  they  need  something  to  inspire  them  with  complete  confidence. 
And  there's  nothing  like  a  bible  for  that  I've  often  noticed  'em.  They'd 
come  in  as  diffident  as  sheep,  but  when  they'd  see  that  book,  why,  bless 
your  soul,  they'd  change  right  off,  and  tell  me  all,  like  I  was  their  own 
mother.     Oh,  my!  that's  the  best  dodge  I  ever  got  up." 

Now  then,  this  way  to  the  reception-room,  or  Consultation  chamber. 
Quite  a  change  in  the  style  !  Here  is  where  the  "  private  interviews  r 
used  to  take  place.  Oh,  could  those  figures  of  bronze,  which  fill  the 
mantle,  only  speak,  what  tales  they  could  tell.  The  main  pieces  of  furni- 
ture here  are  an  old-time  desk,  a  centre-table  and  a  sewing  machine,  with 
a  lounge  and  several  chairs,  and  certain  straDge  looking  objects,  on  the 
back  top  of  the   desk,  innocent   and  harmless  enough  in  appearance, 

but reader,  let  your  imagination  supply  the  rest.     This  is  the  den, 

where  the  bargains  were  made,  and  the  dark  deeds  done.  Could  we  but 
make  you  speak,  old  desk  I  Could  you  but  be  placed  on  the  witness  stand 
and  reply  to  the  questions  Mr.  Comstock  would  ask  you  ,  hish !  be 

very  still !  what  was  that  ?  a  noise  up  stairs.  Come  quick !  glide  with 
us  to  the  second  floor.  Some  one  is  moving  in  the  Madame's  chamber. 
See !  there  is  a  glimmer  of  light  through  the  jar  of  the  doorway.  She 
opens  the  door  leading  into  the  hall,  stretches ,her  head  carefully  out  and 
listens.  Is  she  alarmed  ?  has  she  heard  us  ?  is  she  about  to  arouse  the 
family  ?  No,  she  seems  even  to  hold  her  own  breath  for  fear  of  disturbing 

some  one.     In  her  hand  she  clutches what!  that's  the  gleam  of  a 

large  knife,  with  an  edge  like  a  razor.     What  a  deadly  calm  there  is,  and 
ietermination  on  the  terrible  face. 

"They  are  all  asleep,  and  now  I'll  do  it !" 

Eer  lips  say  all  this  in  a  whisper,  and  she  glides  with  a  noiseless  step 
along  the  hall  to  the  bath  room.  There  is  no  haste  as  she  disrobes.  The 
knife  she  has  laid  on  the  chair  close  by  the  bath  tub,  into  which  the  hot 
water  is  already  running,  with  a  towel  placed  over  the  faucet  so  as  to 
deaden  the  noise.  A  skirt  is  laid  somewhat  carelessly  over  the  deadly 
weapon  so  as  to  hide  it,  as  though  a  thought  has  suddenly  come  to  her, 
that  some  one  might  enter  the  room.  Now  then,  the  bath  tub  is  full  >  she 
^toops  over  and  thrusts  in  her  hand  to  try  the  heat.  It  is  apparently 
'not  too  hot.  How  steady  her  fingers  are  as  they  undo  the  exquisite  gold 
button  at  her  throat,  and  how  calmly  the  garment  is  dropped  to  the  floor, 
and  she  stands  just  as  she  entered  the  world,  so  is  she  going  to  leave  it ! 
What  a  atudy  that  fac*  and  form  are  now,  for  a  painter,  yearning-  for 


RESTELI/S     SECRET    LIFE.  9 

immortality.  The  cheeks  are  a  trifle  paler,  only  a  trifle,  the  lips  a  little 
more  compressed,  the  eyes!  oh,  those  eyes,  that  have  looked  down 
calmly  into  so  many  suffering  mothers'  faces.  Ah !  what  an  expression 
there  is  in  them  now.  A  moment  or  two  and  she  steps  over  the  side  of 
the  tub  into  the  water,  sits  down  rather  suddenly,  reaches  her  hand  under 
the  skirt  on  the  chair  and  draws  forth  the  knife.  Was  that  a  groan  she 
uttered  from  behind  her  tightening  lips  ?  Ah  !  quick,  let  us  stay  her  arm ! 
It  is  raised  with  awful  intent !  Too  late!  She  knew  where  to  cut,  and  the 
-carving-knife  drops  from  her  dying  ahnd  with  a  little  plash  into  the  water, 
slides  from  her  breast  like  a  gleam  of  light  to  the  bottom  of  the  tub.  Its 
part  is  done !  her  part  is  done !  She  is  dead  already !  And  the  water  is 
blushing  scarlet  at  the  dreadful  deed.  Still  on  it  flows.  The  hot  water 
is  all  drawn  by  this  time  from  the  boiler  and  the  cold  begins  to  run  in. 
The  blush  begins  to  disappear  after  an  hour,  for  the  constantly  renewed 
stream  has  carried  the  blood  all  away  into  the  waste  pipe.  Hour  follow» 
hoar,  until  tke  servant,  rising  in  the  morning,  chances  to  pass  near  the 
bath  room.  She  iooks  in — the  water  is  still  running !  and  is  now  color« 
less  and  terribly  cold.  Her  mistress  is  a  stiffened  corpse.  She  will  not 
be  tried.  With  her  own  hand  she  has  quashed  Comstock's  indictment, 
and  in  desperation  has  appealed  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  Heave». 
Thither  we  cannot  follow  her.  There  we  cannot  see  the  vast  array  of 
witnesses,  nor  listen  to  the  testimony  of  the  little  voices  before  that  Tri- 
bunal.    God  is  just  and  He  will  wisely  do  what  is  right. 


SECRET  HISTORY  OF  MADAME  RESTELL. 

"MADAME  RESTELL."— This  was  the  name  that  has  appeared  hi 

arious  advertisements  of  a  questionable  character,  during  the  past  thirty- 

<ive  years.     That  name  was  an  assumed  one,  or,  as  the  law  calls  it,  am 

alias.    Let  us  go  back  down  the  long,  long  past,  or  rather  let  us  begin  at 

'he  beginning. 

In  a  little  village  called  Painswick,  nestled  in  the  heart  of  Gloucester- 
shire, England,  there  lived  a  laboring  man  named  Trow.  Among  hi» 
children  was  a  pretty,  innocent  girl,  loving,  industrious  and  obedient. 
Her  name  was  Anna.  That  handsome,  good-hearted  girl,  born  in  1812, 
was  afterwards  the  famous  Madame  Restell,  who,  in  the  darkness  of  the 
thirty-first  night  of  March,  1878,  took  her  own  life,  and  thus  ended  a  long 
career  of  notoriety  which  wonld  have  startled  her  when  a  village  girl 
The  record  shows  that  she  was  born  in  the  year  1812,  which  made  her, 
therefore,  at  the  time  of  her  death,  sixty-six,  the  best  part  of  a  half  a  century 
*#  which  life  has  been  spent  in  the  profession  of  a  midwife.     We  use  this 


€  RESTELL'S    SECRET    LIFE. 

word  because  it  was  what  she  was  styled  in  a  business  way.  But  eves 
angels  would  blush  at  the  sound.  However  let  us  not  anticipate  berer 
for  there  is  a  history  that  will  vindicate  all  that  has  ever  been  said  about 
this  terrible  woman.  And  does  not  her  own  bloody  end  prove  more  con- 
clusively than  aught  else,  that  Uie  load  on  her  gnawing  conscience,  had 
"become  utterly  unbearable  ? 

She  was  sixteen  years  old  when,  her  father  being  poor,  she  left  the  Til- 
Age  school  and  went  to  hire  out  with  a  family  in  the  neighborhood. 
'  While  in  this  situation,  she  became  acquainted  with  Henry  Sommers 
an  industrious  tailor.  The  two  fell  in  love,  and  after  a  short  courtship, 
they  were  married.  Commencing  housekeeping,  they  lived  quite  hap- 
pily together  for  about  three  years,  sometimes  doing  very  well,  and  some- 
times having  quite  a  struggle  to  make  both  ends  meet.  At  last,  chancing 
to  hear  how  well  some  friends  were  doing,  who  had  emigrated  to  America, 
the  young  couple  began  to  consider  whether  their  own  condition  and 
prospects  would  not  be  enhanced  and  brightened  by  leaving  home  and 
emigrating  to  the  new  world»  After  mature  deliberation,  they  concluded 
to  come  to  the  United  States  and  try  their  fortune.  At  this  time  then» 
was  not  a  more  devoted,  loving  wife,  than  Anna  Sommers. 

In  1831,  after  a  tempestuous  voyage,  they  landed  in  New  York  City, 
where  they  boarded  a  little  while,  and  went  to  room  keeping. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  husband  obtained  work  at  his  trade.  But 
low  occurred  an  event  that  shaped  in  reality,  the  after  life  of  Mrs.  Som- 
mers. Her  husband  was  suddenly  taken  down  with  Typhoid  Fever,  and 
died.  She  was  thus  left  a  widow  with  a  little  girl.  This  happened  in 
1833,  and  the  unfortunate  woman  was  obliged  to  look  about  her  for  some 
means  of  support  for  herself  and  child.  Going  out  to  do  day's  work  at 
sewing  gradually  caused  her  to  adopt  that,  and  she  became  a  regular 
seamstress. 

While  thus  employed,  she  made  the  acquaintance  of  a  woman  who  lived 
«p  town.  This  woman,  though  the  daughter  of  a  respectable  father,  wag, 
it  is  supposed,  a  giddy  creature.  But  knowing  the  value  of  appearance, 
she  doubtless  continually  masked  herself  behind  a  demeanor  of  virtue  and 
innocence.  She  therefore  made  believe  to  do  a  little  work.  Mrs.  Som« 
mers  had  her  curiosity  awakened  and  became  acquainted  more  thoroughly 
with  her  friend.  The  latter  quickly  saw  this,  and  endeavored  to  induce 
the  former  to  adopt  the  same  course.  But  the  young  English  widow  was 
far  too  shrewd  to  be  entrapped.  Yet  she  did,  it  is  said,  on  several  occa- 
sions, accompany  her  to  the  home  of  a  mysterious  old  woman  in  Chatham 
»street 

'  During  the  course  of  these  visits,  she  learned  that  this  old  woman  made 
peculiar  medicines  for  illegal  uses.  And  here  let  us  halt  in  our  narrative, 
to  say  that  time  and  time  again,  when  they  have  been  arrested  for  selling? 


ftlSTELX/S    SICRET   LIFE.  % 

these  nostrums,  these  illicit  quacks  have  acknowledged  that  the  medicines 
ia  bottles  contained  nothing  whatever  but  water  colored  and  made  to  taste 
like  medicine,  by  the  infusion  of  bitter  or  aromatic  herbs,  and  that  the 
pills  sold  in  boxes,  were  nothing  but  dough  prepared  in  exactly  the  self« 
same  manner.  And  that,  for  that  reason  the  law  could  not  hold  them 
responsible,  as  there  was  nothing  whatever  in  the  remedies  that  was 
harmful.  Expert  chemists  have  been  employed  to  analyze  them,  and  ther 
have  found  the  statements  regarding  the  ingredients  to  be  true  Then, 
of  course  the  law  could  not  hold  the  swindling  charlatans  answerable, 
«xoept  in  another  way,  which  was  this.  The  person  who  sent  money  for 
the  medicines,  must  make  an  affidavit  of  false  pretense  against  the  quacks 
who  sold  the  medicine,  and  then  when  the  trial  should  come  on,  the 
complainant  must  stand  up  in  open  court  and  testify  against  them. 

And  there  was  the  point  where  the  wretches  have  always  been  safe, 
for  not  one  out  of  a  million  of  the  poor,  miserable  dupes,  would  expoae 
herself  or  himself  on  the  witness  stand,  for  in  that  event  their  own  cha- 
racters would  be  tarnished.     "We  firmly  believe  it  to  be  the  holiest  duty- 
in  these  degenerate  times,  encumbent  upon  all  respectable  family  physi, 
cians,  to  rise  up  in  a  body  and  protest  against  the  habit  which  is  insidi- 
ously ruining   and   destroying  American   Society.     The   teachings  and 
animadversions  of  the  clergymen  from  their  pulpits  are  useless.     Every- 
thing is  in  the  hands  of  the  medical  doctors.     Let  them  explain  to  their 
patients,  that   certain  vile  tricks  resorted  to   by  so  many  thousands  of 
mothers  in  the  land,  can  be  detected  instantly  in  the  physical  appearance. 
This  is  true.     Women  who  resort  to  violence,  resulting  in  ante  natal 
murder,  show  the  results  at  once*     You  can  tell  them  in  an  instant  as 
they  walk  the  street ;  nothing  they  can  do  can  hide  it  from  the  experi- 
enced eye.     And  physicians  should  explain  this  to  their  patients,  so  that 
every  eye  should  become  experienced,  and  the  doers  of  these  horrible 
deeds  become  the  objects  of  execration  whenever  and  wherever  they 
appear.     Let  us  have  the  old  Bible  fashion.     In  those  days  a  woman  who 
had  no  children  was  looked  upon  with  contempt.     She  was  a  reproach 
and  a  bye  word.     Let  it  become  so  again  in  these  modern  days,  and  the 
frightful  Moloch,  which  is  destroying  millions  of  those  little  beings  who 
should  fill  up  the  next  generations,  will  perish.     Oh,  you  young  and 
thoughtless  mother,  who,  with  your  own  hands,  cast  your  offspring  into- 
the  hellish  maw  of  this  fiend,  and  who  excuse  yourself  with  the  flimsy 
pretexts  you  do,  pause.     Remember,  in  every  case  you  deliberately  com- 
mit the  crime  of  murder,  and  that  in  the  judgment  day  God  will  hold  you 
responsible  for  the  fearful  crime,  just  as  surely  as  though  you  went  into 
the  street  and  deliberately  took  the  life  of  a  little  girl  or  boy  who  might 
be  passing  your  door.     Yes!  more  so,  for  the  same  God  who  created  you 
and  placed  you  here  upon  this  earth,  feas  given  you  special  charge  of  your 


3  restell's  secret  life. 

own  children.  And  if  you  kill  them,  no  matter  at  what  period  of  their 
existence,  whether  before  or  after  they  are  born,  you  will  be  held  respon- 
sible by  Him  hereafter.  Your  empty  excuses  may  do  here  on  earth,  but 
write  this  in  letters  of  fire  on  your  memory — they  will  not  do  above, 
when  your  reckoning  comes  with  the  Judge  of  all. 

As  we  have  said,  the  death  of  her  husband  altered  Mrs.  Somrner's 
whole  subsequent  life.  How  she  finally  thought  of  that  existence  com- 
pared with  her  early  and  poor  though  happy  life,  is  best  shown  by  her 
«uicide.  It  had  become  an  awful  incubus  upon  her  conscience,  and  to 
«»cape  it,  in  the  madness  of  the  moment  she  opened  the  door  of  eternity 
with  the  carving  knife,  and  rushed  headlong  from  this  world  into  the 
«sext. 

Who  shall  attempt  to  paint  with  pen  or  pencil  the  panorama  of  the 
«past,  which,  with  lightning  rapidity,  and  yet  minute  distinctness  of  detail, 
swept  before  her  eyes  as  she  lay  prone  in  the  bath  tub,  ready  to  do  the 
•  desperate  act. 

The  rushing  of  the  water  from  the  faucet,  must  have  sounded  like  the 
howling  of  demons.  In  the  gloom  she  could  just  see  the  dim  light  that 
came  through  the  window-slats  from  the  street  below,  and  looked  like  a 
glinting  ghost  flitting  upon  the  blade  of  the  knife.  The  weapon  was 
raised !  Then  the  panorama  began,  doubtless  with  the  little  cottage  at 
home  far  away  in  England,  then  the  setting  sail,  the  voyage  across  the 
Atlantic,  the  arrival,  full  of  hope,  in  America,  of  herself  and  husband,  the 
honest  toil  and  effort  for  a  livelihood,  his  death,  and  her  subsequent  clouds 
the  beginning  of  a  dubious  career,  the  marriage  with  the  printer,  Lohman, 
who,  it  has  been  asserted,  was  the  real  culprit  in  the  after  profession. 
Then  followed  the  rest  of  the  panorama,  each  scene  growing  darker, 
darker,  darker — ha  !  too  dark  to  bear  longer — and  the  keen  knife  severed 
the  Madame's  jugular!  The  darkness  is  all  gone,  and  a  red  light  illu- 
mines its  every  flying  inch,  and  she  needs  it,  for  her  eyes  are  growing 
dim,  dimmer,  and,  besides  the  rushing  of  the  water,  she  hears  the  rushing 
of  her  own  blood.  How  terribly  like  the  groans  of  infantile  voices! 
How  slowly  death  comes !  At  least  it  appears  so  !  Yet  it  is  not  more  than 
two  earthly  minutes,  though  ten  ages  of  eternity.  But  it  comes  at  last! 
iier  head  drops  on  her  breast,  her  hair  floats  in  the  water,  the  panorama 
iias  stopped,  she  has  stepped  through  the  doorway,  the  invisible  door 
«loses  forever,  and  Madame  RestelPs  spirit  is  in  the  other  world. 

After  she  had  been  sewing  for  some  time  with  poor  success,  she  took  a 
room  in  the  Chatham  street  house  Lohman,  her  husband,  worked  as  a 
compositor  upon  the  Herald. 

Soon  afterward  the  pair  moved  to  Greenwich  street,  and  set  up  regu. 
larly  the  nefarious  trade  which  subsequently  brought  her  such  huge  pile« 
of  money.  The  general  advertisement  was  this  "MADAME  RESTELI4 


RESTELl/S     SECRET    LIFE.  9 

the  female  physician,  is  daily  at  her  office,  No,   14G  Greenwich  street, 
where  she  will  treat  diseases  to  which  females  are  liable." 

This  was  an  exceedingly  bold  and  impudent  device,  and  attracted  so 
much  motice  that  all  good  citizens  were  scandalized  by  it,  and  there  wa3 
every  now  and  then  an  indignation  meeting  called,  and  strong  resolutions 
adopted.  More  than  this,  committees  were  appointed  to  watch  the  house 
of  the  brazen  faced  charlatans,  who,  however,  pursued  their  nefarious 
trade  so  carefully  that  they  could  not  be  detected  in  any  overt  act  for 
which  they  could  be  handled. 

But  at  last  there  was  an  opportunity  offered. 

It  was  a  cold,  dreary  day,  the  fifth  of  February,  18  --",  that  a  handsome 
yodng  lady,  a  native  of  Philadelphia,  entered  the  office  of  Mayor  Have- 
meyer.  Her  face  was  pale  and  careworn,  and  it  was  very  evident  that 
she  had  passed  through  some  sickness  very  lately. 

"What  do  you  wish  to  see  the  Mayor  for?"  asked  an  official  in 
charge. 

"  I  want  to  see  his  Honor  in  order  that  he  may  give  me  some  aid  or  at 
least  tell  me  what  to  do." 

The  Mayor's  time  was  precious,  and  there  were  so  many  foolish  appli- 
cations being  continually  made  to  him,  that,  at  first,  this  was  supposed  to 
be  one  of  the  same  character,  but  when  the  fair  applicant  mentioned  the 
name  of  Madame  Restell,  it  secured  for  her  a  prompt  hearing. 

She  was  ushered  into  the  private  room  of  the  Mayor,  and  told  her  etorj 
as  follows: 

"I  hare  been  an  inmate  of  Madame  Restell's  house  for  some  time.  I 
have  been  unfortunate,  sir,  as  you  may  suppose,  or  I  would  not  have  been 
in  such  a  place,  but  what  I  want  is  my  baby.  I  don't  know  what  she 
has  done  with  it.  Indeed  I  love  it,  sir,  and  I  want  it  back.  I  believe 
she  done  something  to  it.  Oh,  your  Honor,  will  you  help  me,  and  God 
will  bless  you." 

Mr.  Havemeyer  was  much  affected  by  the  plain,  simple,  unvarnished 
narrative  of  his  visitor,  whose  motherly  love  for  her  offspring  had  evi- 
dently overwhelmed  even  the  shame  of  her  situation.  He  at  once  advised 
her  to  have  an  affidavit  made  out,  embracing  the  definite  charge,  and  he 
would  have  a  warrant  issued  for  her,  the  Madame's  arrest.  This  she  did. 
But  when  it  came  to  telling  her  name  she  almost  fainted.  She  thought 
again,  however,  of  her  missing  baby,  and  seizing  the  pen  she  signed 
Mary  Applegate,  of  Pihladelphia,  and  then  bursting  into  tears,  she  groaned» 
as  she  covered  her  face  with  her  hands. 

"Oh,  sir,  this  is  the  Ditternes?  of  gall  to  me,  but  my  mind  is  made  up, 
and  I  will  not  retreat,  no,  not  if  I  die  to-morrow!  And,  oh,  I  wish  I 
were  dead.** 


It  ftESTELL'S    SECRET  LIIX. 

The  warrant  was  placed  in  the  bands  of  a  discreet  officer,  who  at  one« 
proceeded  to  the  Greenwich  street  house  and  made  the  arrest. 

The  event  created  the  wildest  public  excitement,  as  many  of  our  older 
readers  will  remember.  A  mass  meeting  of  citizens  was  called  to  assem- 
ble in  a  ball  on  Courtland  street»  and  it  was  so  numerously  attended,  that 
it  had  to  be  adjourned  into  the  street  There  were  several  very  violent 
speeches  made,  and  there  began  to  be  shouts  of: 

"Let's  go  tear  her  out  1  Burn  the  house  over  ber  bead !  We'll  search 
the  place  I  Wonder  bow  many  babies  are  buried  there )  Forward  for 
Greenwich  street" 

Then  with  hootings  and  yellings,  the  immense  mob  moved  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Madame's  dwelling. 

A  messenger  was  at  once  despatched  to  the  station,  and  a  platoon  of 
fifty  policemen  was  hurried  over  to  Greenwich  street,  where  they  hastily 
formed  in  front  of  RestelPs  house,  and  were  just  in  time,  for  no  sooner 
had  they  taken  their  position  than  the  rioters  came  upon  the  scene. 
There  was  at  once  a  shout  to  clean  out  the  police  and  tear  down  the 
house.  Some  of  the  more  excited  of  the  mob  advanced  upon  the  officers 
of  the  law,  but  the  latter,  closing  their  lines  solidly,  defied  the  rioters. 
Kot  only  that,  but  five  of  the  most  demonstrative  were  seized,  disarmed 
of  their  clubs,  and  incontinently  marched  off  to  the  station  house.  This 
determined  act  on  the  part  of  the  police,  undoubtedly  saved  the  house 
from  destruction,  and  themselves  from  rough  handling  and  defeat 

Upon  finding  that  they  had  been  foiled  in  their  object,  the  mob  returned 
to  Chatham  street  and  held  another  mass  meeting.  Speeches  were  made, 
denouncing  the  authorities  for  protecting  such  a  woman  as  Madame 
Bestell. 

The  next  day  there  appeared  a  card  in  the  papers,  stating  that  the  riot 
had  been  instigated  by  a  certain  man,  because  the  Madame  had  refused 
to  submit  longer  to  black  mailing  demands  of  his  for  money. 

The  general  public  were  terribly  excited  over  the  whole  matter ;  to 
much  so,  indeed,  that  the  legislature  was  obliged  to  take  cognizance  of 
the  subject,  and  pass  some  acts  specially  directed  against  abortionists. 

Further  on  we  shall  refer  again  to  Miss  Applegate's  case.  Almost 
thirteen  months  after,  or,  to  be  more  particular,  September  Tth,  1847, 
Madame  Restell  was  arrested  on  the  charge  of  manslaughter  in  the  second 
degree,  for  malpractice  upon  a  girl  named  Maria  Bodine.  Bail  was  refused 
and  she  was  committed.  On  the  tenth  of  September,  she  was  arraigned 
Wore  the  Court  of  Sessions,  and  pleaded  not  guilty. 

Her  trial  eommenced  at  the  October  term.  She  was  ably  defended  by 
ihe  celebrated  James  T.  Brady  and  David  Graham.  Never  did  a  case 
excite  the  interest  that  this  one  did,  the  Court  being  crowded  to  suffoca- 
tion.    Notwithstanding  the  ability  and  excellence  of  her  counsel,  she  was 


RE6TELI/S    SECRET    LIFE.  It 

couriered.  Three  days  were  con  med  in  obtaining  a  jury,  the  trial 
lasted  nineteen  days,  and  when  the  prisoner  was  pronounced  guilty,  it  is 
«afe  to  say  that  the  whole  nation  rejoiced,  for  the  whole  nation  was 
watching  the  case  with  the  most  intense  interest  and  suspense.  Judge 
Scott  made  a  telling  charge,  and  in  sentencing  the  prisoner  to  one  year's- 
imprisonment  in  the  Penitentiary,  he  scathingly  rebuked  the  crime. 

But  still,  to  show  what  influence  the  two  had — for  though  not  indicted, 
Lohman,  the  husband,  was,  it  is  said,  more  guilty  than  she — the  prisoner 
was  allowed  all  sorts  of  privileges  in  the  jail.  Indeed  it  became  such  a 
scandal  that  the  public  again  became  indignantly  excited.  Committees 
were  appointed,  who  waited  upon  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  and  urged 
them  to  take  decided  action.  This  was  at  last  done,  and  the  Aldermen 
selected  a  special  committee,  who,  upon  an  examination  into  the  charge, 
confirmed  to  the  fullest  the  report.  Jacob  Acker,  the  warden,  was  found 
guilty  and  promptly  discharged.  And  very  justly  so  j  indeed  mere  dis- 
missal was  an  exceedingly  light  punishment.  For  he  allowed  Restell  to 
be  visited  at  all  times  by  her  husband,  who  wouid  remain  alone  with  her 
as  long  as  it  suited  his  or  her  pleasure.  She  had  a  special  table  served 
with  all  the  luxuries  that  her  ill  gathered  wealth  could  command,  her  cell 
was  furnished  in  the  most  approved  manner,  she  had  an  elegant  feather 
bed  instead  of  the  straw  mattrass  usually  given  to  convicts.  She  had  a 
lamp  all  night,  and  her  cell  was  not  locked,  as  were  the  cells  of  the  other 
prisoners,  at  night.  By  the  time  this  villainous  favoritism  was  brought 
to  a  termination,  the  Madame's  term  of  imprisonment  was  nearly  out. 

So  far  from  being  cast  down  or  abashed  by  her  penitentiary  service. 
Restell  became  bolder  than  ever,  and  boasted  that  it  was  worth  a  hundred 
thousand  dollars  of  advertising.  Another  strong  fort  in  which  she  was 
entrenched,  was  the  fact  that,  even  then,  she  held  in  her  keeping  the  dread 
secret  of  many  a  high  toned  family,  and  that  a  fear  of  exposure,  led  these 
people  quietly  to  befriend  her  when  she  got  into  the  toils. 

How  correct  they  were  in  their  boasts  about  the  imprisonment  being 
an  advantage,  to  them,  was  fully  shown,  when,  after  her  liberation,  the 
Madame  and  her  husband  took  a  fine  house  at  No.  160  Chambers  Street, 
and  furnished  it  in  grand  style.  Here  they  promptly  renewed  their 
hellish  calling,  advertising  it  more  boldly  than  ever.  Startling  as  it  majr 
seem,  Restell,  during  her  career,  paid  to  one  single  newspaper  in  New- 
York,  more  than  twenty  thousand  dollars  for  advertising  The  morality 
of  this  paper  must  always  have  been  at  a  low  ebb,  indeed,  and  it  is  no 
excuse  to  say  that  its  columns  belong  to  all  classes  of  people.  A  news- 
paper has  a  certain  responsibility,  in  forming  and  guiding  the  public  mind, 
and  if  it  destroy  or  partially  destroy,  or  vitiate  that  mind,  it  is  unnoubt- 
edly  answerable.  No  question  but  that  scores  and  scores  of  the  Restelt 
•■'iditWr.  ware  led  to  her  habitation  by  seeing  her  advertisements,  tia&e 


12  restell's  secret  life. 

after  time  in  the  paper  to  which  we  refer.  Just  to  that  extent  is  it  par- 
ticeps  criminis,  in  the  dark  deeds. 

The  Chambers  street  home  was  fitted  np  in  the  grandest  style,  with 
every  accornuaoclaticn  for  ladv  boarders.  Here  it  was  that  her  brother, 
Joseph  Trow,  assisted  in  the  manufacture,  and  so  forth,  of  the  medicines, 
as  well  as  the  husband.  The  last  named  also  began  to  advertise  the 
same  medicines  under  the  name  of  Doctor  Moraceau.  Their  silly  dupes 
were  numbered  by  the  thousands,  for  those  who  sent  their  five  dollars 
and  ten  dollars,  for  the  "infallible  remedies"  and  found  themselves 
deceived  by  getting  bitter,  colored  water,  and  bitter  herb  bread  pills, 
never  once  exposed  the  swindle,  as  they  would  thereby  expose  themselves. 
Of  course  the  unfortunates  who  went  into  the  establishment  to  boardt 
were  Attended  to  by  the  Madame,  and  whatever  might  happen  to  them, 
it  was  not  likely  would  ever  be  known. 

In  1855  Restell  was  arrested  on  the  complaint  of  a  German  woman 
named  Fredericka  Mcdinger,  on  the  charge  of  abduction. 

In  her  affidavit,  Fredericka  said,  that  she  lived  at  number  20  Stanton 
Street,  further,  that  on  July  27th  1855,  she  had  become  a  boarder  at 
Restell's,  where  she  was  induced  to  take  six  pills ;  that  shortly  afterward 
she  was  delivered  of  a  living  babe.  This  disappeared.  It  was  fully 
expected  that  there  would  be  just  such  another  excitement  as  there  had 
been  in  the  previous  trial.  But  Restell  and  her  husband  managed  to 
have  the  matter  hushed  up,  add  nothing  ever  came  of  the  suit.  It  was 
always  supposed  that  Fredericka,  the  woman,  was  spirited  away.  One 
thing  was  certain,  she  was  lost  sight  of  and  did  not  make  her  appearance 
to  press  the  prosecution  which  she  began  so  earnestly.  Then  began 
another  period  of  uninterrupted  good  fortune  to  the  establishment.  The 
war  broke  out,  and  everything  went  along  swimmingly,  and  the  dupes 
and  their  dollars  poured  in  upon  the  Chambers  street  establishment's 
proprietor«. 

The  more  fashionable  of  Restell's  patrons  and  customers  had  begun 
moving  to  the  upper  part  of  the  city.  So  the  husband  and  wife  talked 
the  matter  over,  and  they  resolved  to  go  to  the  head  of  the  heap.  The 
result  was  the  erection  of  the  magnificent  brown  stone  structure  at  the 
corner  of  Fifty-second  street  and  Fifth  Avenue,  outrivalling  all  the  other 
splendid  residences  of  that  luxurious  neighborhood.  When  it  was  dis- 
covered by  the  aristoeratk  dwellers,  who  had  come  to  dwell  among  them, 
there  was  a  tretnenduous  hub-lub.  Everybody  considerdd  it  the  correct 
thing  to  exclaim  loudly  against  the  frightful  invasion  and  occupation,  bur 
Restell  and  her  shrewd  husband  knew  too  much,  and  only  laughed  when 
they  heard  of  the  gossip. 

''Well,  if  these  high  toned  folks,"  said  he,  "don't  like  the  locality, 
there's  plenty  of  room  for  them  to  move.     They  can  easily  go  away  to 


RESTELL  S     SECRET    LIFE.  1$ 

lorn«   other    more    salubrious    portion   of    Manhattan    Island.      Can't 
they?»  I 

"Of  course  they  can,"  was  the  rejoinder,  "but  they  won't!  We've 
got  the  best  of  them." 

"  Of  course,  yes,  but  you  know  just  as  well  that  human  nature  is. 
always  dreading  the  trusted  confidante.  The  ordinary  run  of  mankind  is 
made  of  mental  cowardice,  and  whether  we'd  tell  their  secrets  or  not,  the 
thought  that  we  have  possession  of  th:m,  makes  them  timorous.  No 
doubt,  there's  lots  of  these  friends  of  ours  would  be  <?eli~hted  to  find  that 
you  and  I  had  died  peaceably  in  the  night." 

"  You  bet  there  would  bo." 

And  the  two  laughed  as  they  exchanged  knowing  glances. 

"  By  the  bye,  business,  that's  the  outside  mnil  business,  is  a  little  dull 
to- day,  isn't  it  ?  Only  four  thousand  three  hundred  dollars  in  for  the 
day's  work.  We'll  have  to  get  up  a  little  drive  to  bring  it  back  to  its 
sum  of  seven  thousand." 

"I  was  thinking  so  myself." 

"  Ob,  well,  let  things  rest  awhile  yet,  I  guess  the  ministers  have  been 
prodding  their  sheep  a  little  fiercely  the  test  month  or  two.  Can't  expect 
sunshine  every  day,  you  know." 

Thinking  people  often  wonder  why  it  is  that  Providence  permits  the  most 
frightful  wretches  of  society  to  prosper,  while  good  and  estimable  people 
have  to  bear  adversity  and  ills,  both  of  health  and  misfortune.  These 
questions  are  more  easily  asked  than  answered.  Indeed,  there  can  be  ne 
reply  to  them  here.  But  no  doubt  all  will  be  answered  hereafter — here- 
after 1  Yes,  thank  God,  we  have  faith  in  that  hereafter.  There's  smshinfe 
on  the  other  side  of  the  clouds. 

Restell  and  her  husband,  with  ^heir  assistant,  perseveringly  carried  o* 
the  odious  business  in  the  palatial  abode  on  Fifth  Avenue,  and  victim 
after  victim,  came,  and  floated  aw^y  into  the  ocean  of  the  lost  ones,  after 
being  made  to  contribute  to  the  gains  of  the  establishment. 

It  really  did  seem  as  though  the  boast  of  the  proprietors  was  not  a» 
idle  one,  that  the  law  could  not  touch  them. 

Death,  however,  stepped  upon  the  scene,  and  took  the  one,  whom  very 
many  people  firmly  believed  to  be  the  chief  one  of  all — that  was  Charles 
Lohman,  the  husband.     He  died  and  was  buried. 

Had  the  wife  only  now  been  satisfied  with  the  wealth  they  had  amassed, 
epon  the  occurrence  of  his  decease,  she  would  have  escaped  from  the 
retribution  that  was  lying  in  wait  for  her.   . 

But,  "  whom  the  Gods  would  destroy,  they  make  mad,"  is  an  ancient 
saying  of  the  Greek  philosophers,  and  yet  it  appears  to  hare  verification 
even  in  our  own  times.  So  Madame  Bestell  kept  up  the  old  trade,  and 
Nemesis  finally  appeared. 


14  ÄESTELL'S    SECRET    UTE. 


IN  THE  TOILS. 

On  a  cold  day  in  the  beginning  of  February,  1878,  a  ring  came  to  the 
door  bell  of  the  fashionable,  and  hitherto  impregnable,  Fifth  Avenue 
palace.     It  was  answered  by  the  servant. 

"  Is  Madame  in  ?" 

The  speaker  was  a  gentleman  of  quiet,  snare  deportment,  and  gentle 
of  tone. 

"Yes,  dr,  please  walk  in." 

The  servant  saw  in  the  new  comer,  a  customer,  sure,  and  customer* 
were  always  welcome,  whether  it  was  a  five  dollar,  or  a  five  thousand 
dollar  job.  And  ho  felt  confident,  from  the  manner  of  the  gentleman,  that 
lik  was  an  "  important  errand,"  for  these  were  always  important. 

"  Ah,  my  old  friend,  how  do  you  do,  just  glad  to  see  you  coming  up 
the  street  as  I  was  standing  on  the  step  here.  I  am  making  a  oall  here, 
come  along  in  with  me. 

The  new  accidental  friend  also  "  walked  in,  sir,"  and  they  were  ushered 
into  the  reception  room,  where  they  remained  awaiting  the  appearance  of 
the  wanted  matron.  Strangely  enough,  in  the  eyes  of  the  servant,  at 
least,  they  exchanged  significant  glances.  But  he  recollected  that  visitor« 
sometimes  did  that  kind  of  thing. 

A  rustle  of  a  silk  dress,  and  in  another  moment  Madame  stood  before 
her  callers,  easy,  confident,  perfectly  self-possessed. 

"  How  do  you  do,  gentlemen  ?  what  can  I  do  for  you  V* 
"  Thank  you,  Madame,  will  you  please  look  at  this  ?" 

A  paper  was  placed  in  her  hand.     Coolly  sb«  placed  her  ej 
opened  the  document,  and  then  her  hanis  began  to  tremble. 
"  A  search  warrant  I" 
"  Yes,  Madame,  and  we  are  here  to  comply  with  its  intention." 

"  You  are  welcome  to  do  so,  pray  excuse  me  for  a  few  moments, " 

"  Oh,  no,  Madame,  we  must  have  your  valuable  presence  with  us 
we  are  through  with  the  duty  imposed  upon  us." 
Then  the  Madame  became  angry. 
"  Ha  1  this  is  some  of  your  work,  Mr.  Comstock  1" 

Yes,  Mr.  Comstock  v/as  'he  mun  who  had  trapped  the  foxes  that  had, 
escaped  every  other  hunter  for  a  quarter  of  a  century,  nearly.  And  the) 
niy  regret  of  decent  people,  is,  that  that  same  determined  battler  against 
immorality,  had  not  been  waging  warfare  with  the  demon  fifty  years  ag^ 
before  it  had  become  so  powerful  as  it  has.  God  grant  him  long  Bis  to 
continue  his  crusade  against  the  invidious  foes,  which  destroy  oar  soas 


■a—— — — — <■  mi    hfl), 

rin.>uu»in)tM'mm»mmimi»inHiTi'!;nnir 


Down  into  the  cellar.     "  In  the  name  of  the  law.**. 
3*  *en  better  hinunter.     „3m  Harnett  fce*  teffffi." 


*  RIST ELLS    SICRET     LIFE.  If 

Mid  daughters  behind  our  backs,  and  which  have  been,  and  still  are,  sap, 
fing  the  very  foundations  of  society. 

The  warrant  was  carried  out  to  the  letter,  and  the  palatial  abode  of  the 
•bortionist  was  ransacked  high  and  low,  from  attic  to  cellar,  and  the  officers 
•f  the  outraged  law,  secured  her  instruments,  hooks,  shears,  needles, 
bottles,  powders,  liquids,  pills,  and  indeed  all  the  deadly  weapons  for  that 
*  crime  against  nature"  which  is  so  justly  denounced  as  the  most  fashioa» 
able  sin  of  the  day. 

Previous  to  the  year  1813,  the  use  of  these  implements  and  drugs  had 
to  be  proven  before  the  criminal  could  be  punished.  But  after  the  pas- 
sage of  that  law,  the  mere  possession  has  been  enough  to  convict  the 
evildoer  and  bring  down  the  penalty. 

It  was  a  bold  stroke  and  an  exceedingly  brave  one  on  the  part  of  Mr. 
Comstock  to  make  the  move  he  did.  For  if  he  had  found  nothing,  he 
would  have  placed  himself  in  an  exceedingly  awkward  predicament^ 
besides  getting  himself  laughed  at  for  a  blunderer. 

On  the  11th  day  of  February,  another  warrant  was  issued,  this  time  for 
the  arrest  of  Madame  Restell. 

Though  quite  nervous,  still  her  past  successes  in  evading  and  defying 
the  law,  caused  the  accused  to  carry  a  bold  front,  believing  that  her 
money  would  in  some  mysterious  way,  get  her  out  of  her  trouble. 

With  all  the  airs  imaginable,  she  ordered  her  carriage,  and  in  th«»»o*t 
magnificent  style  she  was  driven  to  the  Court. 


IN  THE  RAPIDS 

Madame  Reetell  was  now  unconsciously  in  the  same  condition  as  tfce 

hunters  in  the  canoe,  above  Niagara  Falls.     They  had  often  been  across 

the  river  before,  and  knew  its  every  turn  and  eddy  so  well,  that  they 

never  felt  at  all  afraid  of  it.     Being  strong  and  skillful  and  bold,  they 

often  paddled  nearer  to  the  awful  cataract  than  anybody  else  would  dare 

to.     One  afternoon  they  went  out  as  usual,  got  nearer  than  ever,  to  the 

perilous  brink,  and  started  on  their  return,  stemming  the  torrent  success- 

fally,  when  all  at  once  one  of  the  paddles  broke.     This  was  fatal,  for  in 

another  instant  the  canoe  was  swept  into  the  rapids,  and  from  thence, 

like  a  flash  of  lightning,  over  the  chasm,  into  the  seething  hell  of  waters. 
Thus  they  perished  at  last. 

And  so  did  the  Madame,  after  all  her  many  hair-breadth  escapes. 

When  she  was  taken  to  Jefferson  Market  Police  Court,  Mr.  Comstock 
was  placed  on  the  stand,  and  testified,  that  when  he  made  tb*  arres*,  he 
foand  in  the  Reception  room  of  Madame  Restell,  the  wife  of  q&*  «*  oa* 
2 


13  RESTELI/3     SECRET    LIFE. 

prominent  citizens.  He  also  testified  to  the  finding  of  tbe  illicit  articles 
charged,  in  her  house.  So;  the  evidence  being  of  this  direct  character, 
there  was  no  quibble,  and  Justice  Kilbreth  held  her. 

Her  Counsel  claimed  that  there  was  only  a  misdemeanor  declared  that 
she  would  be  acquitted  of  the  charge,  and  asked  that,  pending  ai>  exami- 
nation, she  be  admitted  to  bail. 

In  her  satchell,  the  prisoner  had  brought  twenty  or  twenty ?five  thousand 

dollars  worth  of  United  States  bonds,  and  when  the  Justice  announced 
Ave  thousand  dollars  bail  on  each  charge,  making  ten  thousand  dollar«, 
la  all,  she  jauntily  produced  the  ten  thousand  dollars  in  the  United 
States  Bonds. 

What  was  her  astonishment,  when  the  stern  magistrate,  with  a  decided 
wave  of  his  hand,  said : 

"  I  cannot  and  will  not  receive  such  security.  We  must  have  freehold 
security,  and  two  bondsmen." 

This  was  a  erusher,  but  properly  enough,  the  Justice  remained  inexo- 
rable in  his  decision.  The  next  thing  was  to  send  out  messengers  in  all 
directions,  to  her  friends,  to  come  and  bail  her  out,  but  none  came,  which 
showed  that  the  dread  of  public  opinion  was  greater  than  the  friendship 
of  her  friends.  Night  came,  and  still  no  one  came,  and  finally  the  accused 
left  the  Court,  entered  her  gorgeous  carriage,  and  was  driven,  in  grand 
style,  to  the  Tombs,  where  she  spent  the  night. 

The  next  day  she  remained  in  her  cell.  There  were  a  number  of  calls 
made  upon  her,  but  she  declined  to  see  anybody  except  her  Counsel,  Mr. 
McKinley,  her  relatives,  and  one  or  two  more  of  her  most  intimate  friends. 
The  former  and  another  came  in  her  own  elegant  cairiage,  her  turnout, 
with  its  liveried  servants,  making  quite  an  ostentatious  display.  Thi* 
was  excessively  annoying  to  those  who  had  her  case  in  hand,  but  it  cre- 
ated much  prejudice  against  her,  or  rather  let  us  correct  by  saying,  it 
excited  much  just  feeling  against  her. 

After  a  long  interview  with  his  client,  Mr.  McKinley  went  before  the 
Justice  and  informed  him  that  he  demanded  an  examination,  that  the 
prisoner,  in  waiving  one  at  the  first  hearing,  did  not  comprehend  her 
*egal  rights,  or  she  would  not  have  done  so.  He  also  stated  that  they 
were  now  ready  with  freehold  security.  The  Magistrate  promptly  replied, 
ihat  so  far  from  the  prisoner  not  being  aware  of  her  legal  rights  at  the 
hearing,  she  had  been  carefully  and  explicitly  informed  of  them  at  tha* 
time,  indeed  just  as  thoroughly  and  carefully  as  if  the  Counsel  himself 
ihad  been  present  and  done  so 

As  an  examination  was  now  demanded  by  the  prisoner,  he  would  wft. 
ftngly  grant  it,  and  fixed  the  fifteenth  as  the  date.  He  stipulated,  how- 
ever, that  in  case  Mr.  Comstock  should  not  be  ready  to  go  on,  there 
sh     Id  be  a  postponement  till  another  day.    The  Judge  added,  that  und«r 


EESTELL'S    SECRET    LIF1.  If 

/  •  „ __ 

ihe  circumstances,  he  would  decline  to  receive  bail  most  positively,  pend- 
ing  the  examination.  Counsel  undertook  to  argue  the  matter  and  per- 
suade a  different  deeision,  but  the  Judge  was  inexorable,  and  would  not 
budge  an  inch. 

On  the  appointed  day,  therefore,  the  Madame  was  again  brought  into 
Court,  and  was  confronted  by  her  prosecutor,  whom  some  of  her  friends 
had  the  effrontery  to  call  her  persecutor.  However,  that  made  no  dif- 
ference to  him.  He  was  there  in  the  performance  of  a  high  and  holy  duty, 
and  though  it  might  crush  one  woman  who  ought  to  have  been  crushed^ 
long  ago,  God  knows,  it  might,  and  most  likely  would,  save  many  other 
women. 

The  Court  now  was  packed  with  spectators,  such  was  the  public  exciie- 
menu  Promptly  at  the  hour  for  the  session,  the  Madame  swept  into  the 
room  in  her  magnificent  attire,  and  accompanied  by  her  Counsel  and  her 
family. 

The  Judge  announced  that  Mr.  Comstock,  the  principal  witness,  being 
unavoidably  absent,  an  adjournment,  until  his  return,  would  be  necessary. 
Mr.  Purdy,  senior  Counsel  for  the  accused,  said  that  would  suit  him 
exactly.  The  question  of  bail  was  then  resumed.  Mr.  James  Gounod, 
one  of  the  bondsmen,  desired  to  surrender  his  bail.  He  had  been  prom- 
ised two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for  going  on  the  bail  bond,  but  he  had 
not  seen  a  ceat  of  the  money.  An  examination  then  showed  that  a  young 
man  by  the  name  of  Thompson,  had  been  the  means  of  obtaining  him  as 
a  bondsman,  and  for  his  trouble,  had  kept  the  money  himself,  a  shrewd 
bit  of  business  on  his  part.  He  had  fulfilled  his  promise  to  obtain  the 
Ktondsman,  and  now  that  the  bondsman  had  surrendered  his  bail,  Ae  could 
w.ot  demand  the  money,  neither  could  the  prisoner's  counsel  demand  it 
tack. 

Mr.  Jacob  Schwartz,  the  other  bondsman,  now  renewed  his  bail,  and  a 
second  one  was  obtained  to  keep  him  company.  This  was  Mr.  John 
Loretz,  of  ITT  West  Twelfth  street.  He  did  not  sign  the  bond  until  after 
ten  thousand  dollars  in  U.  S.  bonds  had  been  deposited  in  his  name,  with 
the  Trust  Company,  and  he  had  received  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  in 
«ash  for  his  trouble.  This  formality  gone  through  with,  Restell  wai 
released,  and  drove  off.  triumphantly  in  her  carriage.  Her  coachman« 
who  had  driven  her  for  noarly  twenty  years,  seemed  to  partake  of  the 
same  spirit. 

Little  did  the  indignaut  spectators  think  how  the  invisible  chain  which 
Justice  had  fastened  about  that  grandly  dressed,  haughty  woman,  was 
burning  into  her  vitals  beneath  the  covering  of  silk  and  seal  skin  sacquo,» 
as  though  each  link  were  a  red  hot  piece  of  steel.  They  little  suspected 
that  the  conscience  of  the  innocent,  thoughtless.  English  village  girl,  was 
still  living  within  what  was  now  the  hard  womau  of  the  world,  that  it 


30  restell's  secret  life. 

was  stinging  her  almost  to  desperation,  that  in  a  little  month  more  it* 
Yoioe  was  to  become  so  loud  as  to  require  the  hands  of  a  violent  death  le 
ahut  it  from  her  ears.  Yet  such  was  the  case.  The  sheet  of  outer  bra»6 
Was  thin,  after  all. 

Upon  March  1st  the  examination  was  finally  reacted.  On  the  on«  side 
»tood  the  indicted  woman  and  her  friends,  on  the  other  District  Attorney 
Henig,  Samuel  Colgate,  President  of  the  Society  for  the  Suppression  of 
Tice,  and  Anthony  Comstock.  Mr.  Brady  coolly  moved  for  a  dismissal 
ef  the  complaint.  After  an  interchange  of  legal  argument \  Judge  Kil- 
tareth  denied  the  motion,  and  turning  to  the  prisoner,  said  : 

"  Mra.  Lohman,  you  have  been  examined  on  the  first  charge  preferred 
against  you,  I  will  now  proceed  to  the  second." 

Then  came  the  routine  questions  and  answers  usual  in  examination» 
Her  answers  were  given  in  a  dreamy,  uncertain  way,  until  that  in  reply 
to  the  question : 

*  Are  you  guilty  or  not  guilty  f  " 

She  glanced  nervously  at  her  Counsel,  and  then  in  a  hurried  and 
assumed,  firm  tone,  said: 

"  I  have  nothing  to  say." 

Then  came  the  formula  of  putting  down  the  trial  for  the  next  general 
teem  of  the  Court.  Bail  ten  thousand  dollars.  Madame  Besteil  was 
led  into  the  Sergeant's  room,  and  her  Counsel  went  off  in  a  carriage,  to 
find  bail,  it  was  said.  But  instead,  he  returned  with  a  writ  of  certiorari, 
from  Judge  Donohue,  calling  upon  Judge  Kilbreth  to  show  cause  why 
Madame  Restell  should  be  thus  deprived  of  her  liberty.  The  writ  waa 
served  on  the  Judge,  who  was  very  much  nettled  at  it,  and  Mr.  Herring 
denounced  it  as  an  unprofessional  feature,  to  thus  trick  the  Court.  The 
Counsel's  own  reply,  was,  to  produce  another  writ  from  the  Sapreme 
Court,  upon  the  Sergeant,  Williams,  to  produce  Mrs.  Lohman  in  that 
Court. 

Judge  Kilbreth  had,  by  this  time,  recovered  from  his  surprfse,  and  aeaV 
ing  himself,  he  said  firmly : 

"  The  prisoner  is  in  my  custody,  not  the  Sergeant's.  She  is  suspected 
ef  a  crime,  and  on  these  grounds  she  is  by  me  committed  to  the 
Tembs." 

And,  taking  up  his  pen,  the  Judge  made  out  the  commitment 

Mr.  McKinley  protested,  and  said  : 
;     "  I  have  this  writ,  then,  to  serve  on  Sergeant  Williams  the  moment  be 
takes  her  into  custody. 

"  Ah,  your  Honor,"  remarked  the  astute  Mr.  Comstock,  with  a  compla- 
cent smile,  "  I  think  I  can  help  this  matter  If  you  please,  bw»d  the 
•ommitment  to  Officer  Sheldon  instead  of  the  Sergeant." 


1 


Bbstell's  secret  lists,  21 

This  completely  flanked  McKinley,  and  he  denounced  Conistock's 
Interference  with  the  duties  of  the  Court.     Attorney  Herring  said  ; 

"  I  move,  your  Honor,  that  the  prisoner  be  placed  in  the  custody  of 
Officer  Sheldon." 

Another  wordy  conflict  ensued,  the  final  result  of  which,  was,  that  ia 
the  custody  of  another  officer,  the  prisoner  was  taken  at  once  before  Judge 
Donohue,  of  the  Supreme  Court. 

Here  the  war  was  resumed»  But  Judge  Donohue  fully  decided,  in 
reply  to  her  Counsel's  earnest  appeal: 

"  I  only  know  her  as  an  ordinary  criminal.  And  I  propose  to  treat 
this  case  the  same  as  any  habeas  corpus  case  brought  before  me." 

The  final  result  was,  that  the  prisoner  was  placed  in  the  custody«of  the 
Sheriff,  who  charged  Major  Quincy  with  her  safe  keeping  till  the  follow- 
ing Tuesday. 

Upon  that  day  the  case  was  proceeded  with  before  Judge  Donohue. 
A  decision  was  not  reached,  and  the  case  went  over  to  the  following 
Thursday,  when  the  writ  was  dismissed  and  the  prisoner  remanded  to 
the  custody  of  the  Court.  Then  her  indefatigable  Counsel  made  a  motion 
for  a  reduction  of  bail,  not  only  before  Judge  Lawrence,  but  before  Judge 
Sutherland.  But,  after  all  the  battling  of  her  Counsel,  Judge  Kilbreth 
was  sustained  in  every  point.  The  District  Attorney  then  stated  he 
would  accept  her  own  bond  in  five  thousand  and  the  other  bondsman, 
besides  which  he  required  her  to  deposit  ten  thousand  dollars  in  XJ.  S. 
bonds  in  his  office.  This  was  all  done  after  a  number  of  necessary 
formalities,  and  the  prisoner  was  free — until  the  trial  should  commence, 
en  April  first.  But  we  all  know  that  never  came.  All  fools,  day  dawned 
4«u  the  lifeless  body  of  the  prisoner  lying  in  her  bath  tub  in  her  brown 
»tone  palace. 

The  Court  assembled,  and  all  the  participants  of  the  former  hearings, 
were,  with  an  expectant  audience,  awaiting  the  coming  of  the  prisoner. 
In  vain!  a  despatch  was  handed  to  the  Judge,  announcing  the  suicide. 
At  first,  on  account  of  the  day,  some  thought  it  was  a  silly  hoax.  But 
Ihis  notion  was  soon  dispelled  officially.  There  remained  nothing  but  to 
enter  the  event  on  the  record,  and  drop  the  case,  which  was  accordingly 
done. 

"  Nolle  pross'd  by  Death,"  as  one  of  the  lawyers  remarked. 


DOWN  THE  PAST. 

•  « 

As  we  have  stated  in  the  previous  part  of  this  narrative,  Madame 
Resiell  was  an  innocent,  merry  country  girl,  and  none  of  those  who  knew 
her  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  would  have  ever  believed  that  she  and  the  old 


22  RESTELl/S     SECRET    LIFB. 

woman  of  sixty-five,  who  had  attained  such  an  awful  notoriety,  were  onr 
and  the  same  individual 

It  shows  how  carefully  young  people  should  look  to  their  footsteps  in 
early  life,  yes,  and  at  every  part  of  their  life  journey.  Restell  was  a. 
widow  before  she  took  the  final  steps,  which,  while  in  conjunction  with 
her  second  husband,  led  her  to  enormous  wealth,  still  they  led  her,  also, 
Jo  that  dreadful  abyss,  over  which  she  at  last  flung  herself  into 
eternity. 

It  has  been  truly  said  that  this  woman  held  in  her  possession,  the  keys 
to  the  skeleton  closet  of  secrets  of  the  high-toned  families,  not  Only  of 
New  York,  but  also  of  others  scattered  all  over  the  United  States  and 
Canada. 

People  of*  respectable  standing  would  send  their  daughters  and  sisters, 
travelling  for  the  benefit  of  their  health,  but,  in  reality,  they  would  be 
sent  to  take  up  their  abode  with  the  Madame,  either  in  her  house  or  m 
the  hotel  which  was  built  on  the  adjoining  lot  of  ground. 

There  these  unfortunates,  or  wild  creatures,  as  the  case  might  be, 
would  remain  until  they  could  safely  return  home  without  suspicion.  la 
the  event  of  so  expressing  a  desire,  the  infant  could  accommodatingly  be 
"adopted  out,"  that  is,  they  would  never  be  troubled  either  with  cr 
about  it. 

Oh,  how  horrible  a  suspicion  does  this  cause  !  Were  they  all  adopted  I 
Poor  little  innocents !  Oh,  what  mothers !  and  what  relatives,  who  couii 
thus  bargain  with  the  abortionist,  to  have  the  helpless  little  being,  it/ 
▼eins  fliled  with  their  own  blood,  its  very  features  being  the  impress  of 
themselves,  "  adopted  out!11 

They  might  as  well  have  said,  "  we  don't  care  whether  it  lives  or  die*, 
we'd  rather  it  would  die.  But  we  don't  care  either  way.  Do  just  as  you 
choose  about  it.     Only  we  don't  want  to  hear  of  it  again." 

They  were  always  assured  in  the  most  solemn  manner,  that  their 
secret  was  safe  in  the  tomb,  and  they  gradually,  it  seemed,  grew  to  have 
confidence  in  her.  As  to  her  charges,  sometimes  a  fee  of  five  thousand 
dollars  would  be  an  ordinary  one,  yet  according  to  the  wealth  of  the  vie« 
tim.  But  not  in  money  alone,  did  the  snare  work  to  her  advantage,  bat 
also  in  influence  to  secure  the  abortionist  from  harm  in  a  legal  aspect. 
And  once  in  the  meshes  of  her  seine,  they  felt  it  was  impossible  to  get 
away.  One  of  the  papers  in  New  York,  truly  remarked,  that  hundreds 
of  fashionables  quaked,  when  they  heard  that  Comstock  had  taken  hold 
ef  her,  because  they  knew  he  would  not  let  go,  till  his  object  was  accom- 
plished. And  they  dreaded  that  when  she  would  find  herself  driven  te 
the  wall,  and  they  afraid  to  help  her,  there  would  be  some  State's  evi- 
dence about  their  affairs,  and  all  the  skeletons  would  be  brought  out  to 
fublie  view.  So  when  it  was  announced  that  she  was  dead,  they  breathed 


restell's   secret  life.  SS 

A^ely,  and  felt  that  the  sword  of  Damocles  had  been  taken  away  from 
oyer  their  heads.  At  the  time  of  the  Beecher  Tilton  affair,  there  were 
many  rumors  about  that  party  and  their  friends,  in  regard  to  her,  but  we 
are  satisfied  that  they  were  nothing  more  than  gratuitous  slanders  on  all 
concerned,  and  therefore  will  not  refer  to  them.  That  case  has  already 
done  harm  enough  to  the  public  mind,  though,  like  a  chronic  cancer,  1t 
seems  again  about  to  discharge  its  horrible  humor. 

The  young  lady  from  Philadelphia,  to-  whom  we  referred,  was  very/ 
beautiful  and  spirited,  with  a  fashionable  education,  and  rather  wild  m: 
disposition,  though  naturally  a  good  girl.  Not  knowing  the  gentle 
restraint  of  a  kind  and  loving  mother,  she  was  unfitted  to  encounter  the 
arts  and  wiles  of  an  unprincipled  admirer.  The  father  wag  engaged,  like 
many  others,  in  the  pursuit  of  wealth,  and  did  not  pay  that  strict  atten- 
tion which  he  should  have  done,  to  his  daughter.  He  depended  on  an 
old  governess,  a  querrulous,  harsh  lady,  who  repelled  rather  than  attracted 
her  charge.  The  consequence  was  a  natural  one ;  the  lovers,  soon  found 
means  to  evade  and  deceive  her.  Then  came  the  old  story,  a  deserted,, 
distracted  girl,  an  absconded  scoundrel,  and  a  fierce,  revengeful,  father, 
who  held  his  child  responsible  for  the  disaster  instead  of  himself. 

The  unfortunate  daughter  was  hurried  off  to  New  York,  and  there 
turned  over  to  the  keeping  of  the  Madame.  How  many  years  have  fiowt 
since  then*  We  do  not  knew  whether  she  is  Hying  or  dead.  If  the  for- 
mer, she  must  be  an  old  woman  now. 

Of  course,  poor  thing,  she  was  broken  hearted,  but  in  spite  of  all  en* 
treaties,  she  refused  to  be  attended  in  the  manner  her  father  desired? 
making  the  constant  reply: 

"  Oh,  no  I  Heaven  knows  I  am  not  bad  I  have  been  deceived,  cruelly 
deceived,  and  I  alone  have  to  bear  the  shame  and  the  heart-burning  of 
my  inadvertent  sin.  But  I  swear  before  Heaven,  rather  than  add  this 
crime  upon  my  soul,  I'll  die.  There  I  kill  me,  if  you  like,  but  jou  shall 
never  induce  me  to  do  this.'* 

Thus  the  brave  girl  defied  them  both,  and  in  the  due  course  of  time, 
she  clasped  to  her  heart  a  sweet  little  baby  boy. 

"  Oh,  darling  little  stranger,"  she  would  murmur,  as  she  kissed  the 
wee,  pink  cheek.  I  will  live  and  repent  for  your  sake,  and  you  shah 
remind  me  always  of  the  past.  You  shall  be  the  angel  to  lead  me  up  to 
Heaven,  to  keep  me  from  falling  into  the  abyss,  which  might  otherwise 
swallow  me  up." 

How  little  the  fond  young  mother  dreamed  of  the  plot  which  had  been 
laid  by  her  inexorable  father,  and  which  was  soon  to  be  devoloped.  Tb» 
baby  was  but  a  month  old,  now,  and  one  night  its  mother  felt  a  peculiar 
drowsiness  coming  over  her  after  supper.  She  could  not  account  for  it, 
bat  she  had  a  dread  of  it,  and  did  her  best  to  shake  it  off     Tighter  dm 


RESTELL'S    SECRET    LIFE. 

she  ela.^p  her  arms  about  her  baby,  for  somehow  or  other,  the  impr03sioo 
was  with  her,  that,  if  she  fell  asleep,  she  would  lose  her  child. 

Her  struggle  was  a  futile  one,  however,  and  presently  she  was  in  a 
Stupor.  Then  there  glided  to  her  bedside,  a  female  figure,  who,  quickly 
throwing  the  helpless  mother's  arms  from  about  the  baby,  picked  up  the 
the  latter,  and  wrapping  it  up,  hastened  from  the  room,  and  gave  it  to  a 
man  who  was  waiting  down  stairs  for  it.  He  immediately  left  the  houae> 
entered  a  close  carriage,  and  was  driven  off. 

The  next  morning  the  mother  awoke  to  find  herself  robbed  of  her  baby.. 
As  soon  as  she  could,  she  arose,  and,  putting  on  her  wrapper,  hurried  to 
the  Madame 's  room.     There  she  found  her,  and  said : 

"  I  have  come  down  for  my  baby,  why  did  you  take  it  oat  of  the 
Toom  ?" 

"  Oh,  don't  bother  about  your  baby.  What  do  you  want  with  a  baby, 
«ny  how  ?     It  would  only  be  a  trouble  to  you." 

"That  is  no  matter  of  yours,"  retorted  the  young  mother,  "you  don't 
have  the  trouble  with  it.     You  get  well  paid  for  what  you  do/' 

"Your  father  don't  want  you  to  have  that  baby." 

"I  don't  care  what  my  father  says!"  excaimed  the  mother,  in,a  fury, 
*'I  want  my  baby  1" 

"  Well,  you  can't  have  your  baby !  I  adopted  it  out  to  a  strange 
lady!" 

A  wild  cry  escaped  the  unfortunate  mother's  lips,  and  she  sank  upon  a 
lounge,  and  buried  her  face  in  her  hands.  In  a  few  moments,  she  sprang 
to  her  feet,  and  approaching  her  companion,  who  remained  as  cool  aa 
though  nothing  were  happening,  said : 

"I  will  leave  this  house  at  once." 

It  was  now  the  former's  turn  to  become  excited,  or,  rather,  nervous, 
for  there  was  a  terrible  calmness  in  the  young  mother's  manner ;  a  calm- 
ness that  meant  danger.  As  she  spoke,  she  turned,  and,  going  out  of 
the  room,  went  up  stairs  to  her  own  apartment.  There  she  commenced 
to  dress  herself  in  her  out-door  costume,  and  while  she  was  thus  engaged, 
the  Madame  came  in  and  inquired  what  she  intended  to  do. 

"  That  you'll  find  out  !",  replied  she. 

"You  can't  go  out  till  your  father  comes." 

"Can't  I?  Weil,  I'll  show  you  if  I  can't  go  out  I"  And  her  eye« 
fairly  flashed  fire. 

The  other  saw  that  violence  would  do  no  good  with  her  boarder,  and 
iried  reasoning  and  pacification.     Said  she : 

"  You  ought  not  to  blame  me  for  what  has  been  done.  I  did  not  brfog 
you  here,  and  in  what  I  have  done,  I  have  been  guided  by  your  father's 
express  wishes  and  orders.  He  wanted  the  child  adopted  out,  and  I  have 
aoaa  §o.     You  cannot  find  it,  and  so  you  better  take  my  advice,  and,  at 


I'll  do  it  now,  while  all  are  asleep ! "  she  said  fiercely. 
1.  „Sefct  will  t$  e*  t§nn ;  tf e  fäkfett  »ffe,"  fagte  fte  entfAIoffm. 


llESTELl/S    SECRET    LIFE.  27 

any  rate  wait  till  you  see  your  father.     I  will  write  to  him  at  once,  and 
tell  him  to  come  here  to  see  you  immediately." 

This  seemed  to  have  a  quieting  effect  on  the  young  mother,  at  least  she 
made  believe  it  did,  and  sat  down. 

"  Well,  I'll  wait  till  father  comes,  and  then  if  he  don't  or  you  don't 
give  me  satisfaction  about  my  baby,  I'll  make  the  City  too  hot  to  hold 
you.     You  say  you'll  send  for  him  right  away." 

"  Very  well,  do  so,  and  I'll  try  and  be  patient  till  then." 

The  matter  appeared  to  drop  here,  and  the  Madame  breathed  more 
freely.  But  she  did  not,  with  all  her  shrewdness,  read  her  boarder's 
character,  for  the  pretended  submission  was  only  a  ruse.  That  same 
afternoon,  the  Madame  went  out  on  business,  and  the  moment  the  front 
door  was  closed  upon  her,  her  young  boarder  hurriedly  dressed  herself 
again,  and,  ere  anybody  could  prevent  her,  she  was  also  in  the  street. 
She  directed  her  steps  to  a  Magistrate's  Office,  and  entered  her  complaint 
in  due  form,  made  her  affidavit,  and  had  a  search  warrant  issued,  for  she 
suspected  that  her  baby  had  really  been  killed. 

She  returned  to  the  house.  The  Madame  was  yet  out,  but  when  she 
came  back,  there  were  the  officers  of  the  law  ready  for  her  She  was 
exceedingly  indignant  at  the  turn  affairs  had  taken,  and  she  threateningly 
shook  her  finger  at  her  boarder,  who  scornfully  laughed  at  her,  as  she 
replied : 

"  You're  a  sly  fox,  but  you  could  not  deceive  me." 

In  those  days,  as  we  have  said,  there  was  no  legal  danger  to  any  one 
for  merely  having  in  their  possession  either  drugs  or  instruments  for  pro- 
ducing abortion,  and  so  the  finding  of  these  things  did  not  worry  the  pro- 
prietress of  the  house.  Presently  the  Officer  took  a  lamp,  and  going  to 
the  kitchen,  raised  a  trap  door  that  led  down  into  the  cellar. 

"  What  do  you  want  there  ?"  exclaimed  the  proprietress. 

"  To  see  if  there  are  any  babies'  graves  there !"  hissed  the  young  mother, 
speaking  for  the  Officer. 

" Shall  I  hold  the  lamp  for  you  sir?'      This  to  the  searcher. 

"  Oh,  no,  you  just  stay  where  you  are.  I  will  carry  it,  and  find  all  I 
wish  to,"  was  the  reply. 

As  the  light  and  its  bearer  disappeared  down  the  trap,  the  Madame 
said : 

"  Oh,  you  hussey,  you !  This  is  a  pretty,  dirty  trick  you've  played 
en  me !     I  wish  I  had  never  seen  your  face." 

*  You'll  wish  that  more  so  before  I'm  done  with  you !"  replied  the 
other  in  cold,  determined  tones.     "  I  guess  I'll  step  down  and  help." 

The  next  moment  she,  too  was  in  the  cellar,  pulling  tubs  and  benches, 
pot«  and  tin  boilers  hither  and  thither.  With  a  keen,  woman's  scrutiny, 
she  examined  every  nook  and  eorner.     In  a  corner  were  small  piles  of  old 


28  bestkll's  secret  life. 

bottles.  Here  and  there,  among  these,  was  one  with  a  dusty  cork 
in  it. 

These  she  pulled  out,  and  turned  whatever  of  the  partial  contents  they 
had,  out  upon  the  cellar  earth,  and  making  some  sharp  remark  about 
them  so  that  the  Madame  could  hear  her.  In  another  corner  was  a 
peculiarly  shaped  piece  of  wire,  which  had  rusted  nearly  all  away.  Near 
it  was  a  small  knife  and  some  silk  cord.  On  the  opposite  side,  near  the 
coal  bin,  was  a  little  bundle  of  linen  rags,  stained  with  some  red  or  brown 
liquid,  which  the  dampness  had  caused  to  feel  moist.  This  she  undid, 
but  there  was  nothing  in  them  but  greese,  so  she  threw  them  down. 
Her  companion  poked  in  the  coal ;  there  was  nothing  there.  Next  a 
slight  mound  in  the  middle  of  the  floor,  attracted  attention,  and  with  the 
shovel  it  was  dug.  But,  finding  it  had  not  been  disturbed,  but  was  erU 
dently  the  natural  shape  of  the  hard  earth,  the  digging  was  given  up. 

The  search  was  fruitless,  after  all,  and  was  discontinued. 

Upon  the  warrant  of  arrest,  the  Madame  was  taken  before  the  Mafia» 
träte,  bound  over,  and  as  we  have  recorded,  she  was  sentenced  to  a  year 
in  the  Penitentiary  on  Blackwell's  Island. 

We  have  already  referred  to  RestelPs  affection  for  her  grand-childrea, 
to  the  oldest  of  which  she  willed  the  great  bulk  of  her  enormous  wealth. 
At  the  time  she  resolved  to  erect  a  monument  over  the  grave  in  her  lot, 
at  the  Tarrytown  Cemetery.  To  show  the  steel-like  character  of  the  woman, 
she  sent  for  the  sculptor,  who,  when  he  arrived,  found  that  she  had  takes 
a  dead  baby,  laid  it  on  a  cradle  mattress,  and  fixed  it  in  exactly  the  posi- 
tion she  wished,  with  the  corner  of  a  quilt  thrown  across  the  body  so  as 
to  expose  certain  parts  of  it  to  view.  After  a  little  conversation  with  the 
artist,  the  latter  began  to  express  his  opinion  as  to  what  he  would  do. 
She  interrupted  him  almost  fiercely,  with  the  words : 

11  Now  sir,  I'm  obliged  to  you  for  your  suggestions,  but  it's  got  to  be 
done  the  way  I  want  it." 

"O  very  well,  Madame,"  was  the  reply,  "it  6hall  be  so." 

The  monument  was  made,  accordingly,  on  the  model  of  the  dead  child, 
as  it  was  there,  and  in  due  course  of  time,  it  was  placed  in  the  lot  at 
Tarrytown.  It  is  very  odd  and  beautiful,  and  is  enclosed  within  heavy 
slabs  of  the  finest  French  plate  glass,  as  clear  as  crystal.     On  one  side  is 


Hush,  tread  lightly,  our  child  is  sleeping  ; 

fler  life  on  earth  is  o'er ; 
Vacant  hearts  at  home  are  weepisg, 
She  sleeps  to  wake  no  more. 

On  the  other  panels  are  cut  the  names  and   ages,  dates  of  birth 
death  of  the  two  little  ones,  buried  beneath. 


RESTELl/S     SECRET    LIFE.  29s 

A.  philosopher  might  argue,  that  a  mind  naturally  affectionate,  but 
soared  and  distorted  by  bitter  experience  in  life,  might  become  centered 
in  its  love  upon  one  or  two  objects,  and  yet  be  bitterly  cruel  and  murder- 
ous toward  others.     It  is  a  great  blessing,  indeed,  that  there  are  but  few 

* 

of  such  characters,  for  they  are  nothing  but  hnman  tigers  and  hyenas. 

The  career  of  Restell  furnishes  food  for  serious  thought,  as  to  where 
the  nation  is  drifting.  As  the  individual  mother  is,  so  will  be  the  family, 
and  as  the  individual  family,  so  will  the  nation  be.  It  is  appalling,  when 
we  know  that  thousands  upon  theusands  of  mothers,  who  have  learned 
and  resort  to  the  vile  tricks — the  "crime  against  nature,"  taught,  or 
rather  made  fashionable  by  Restell  and  others  of  her  class  Let  us  repeat, 
with  all  possible  solemnity,  what  we  have  said  against  this  horrible  crime, 
in  the  earlier  portion  of  this  work.  Let  us  execrate  those  who  would 
excuse  and  palliate  such  wickedness. 

There  was  a  Professor  in  New  York  City,  who,  the  Sunday  after  Res- 
telPs  death,  delivered  a  discourse  in  one  of  the  public  halls,  iu  which  he 
actually  defended  Restell  and  her  pernicious  practices ;  because,  as  be 
said,  there  were  members  of  church  who  did  the  self-same  thing,  highly 
respectable  people.  He  added,  that  he  could  name  a  certain  fashionable 
minister,  who  had  knowingly  permitted  his  wife  to  do  the  very  act,  and 
then  defended  it  on  the  ground  of  morality,  and  necessity.  If  so,  he  should 
bare  denounced  that  minister  by  name,  for  such  a  shepherd  as  that,  is 
worse  than  a  wolf  in  the  lock.  A  minister  of  God's  holy  gospel  j 
Frightful  thought!  It  is  enough  to  make  an  honest  man's  heart  tremble 
for  his  children,  to  think  of  such  a  thing.  But  we  care  not  how  holy  his 
character,  he  should  be  dragged  from  his  polluted  pulpit,  and  his  carcase 
given  to  the  foul  birds  that  feed  on  fetid  flesh.  He  is  no  longer  to  be 
tolerated  among  really  respectable  people,  even  the  poorest  and  most 
lowly  in  station. 

It  does  seem  as  if  what  is  called  the  upper  crust  of  society,  has  become 
awfully  immoral,  not  only  so,  but  that  the  middle  classes  are  beginning 
to  be  contaminated  by  the  leprosy  of  immorality.  Should  it  ever  spread 
to  the  poorer  strata  of  society,  theu  farewell  to  the  whole  fabric  of  the 
American  nation,  for  it  is  doomed. 

Fathers  should  take  warning  in  time,  mothers  should  also  take  warning. 
The  former  should  inculcate  in  the  hearts  of  their  sons,  the  necessity  for 
a  pure  and  upright  life,  for  a  manly  assumption  of  their  future  marital 
relations,  and  a  love  for  virtue.  The  latter,  even  more  sternly,  should 
teach  their  daughters,  that  they  should  look  forward  to  the  bearing  of 
their  portion  of  life's  duties,  and  that  God  wil?  fwfcf  h&i  them  respon- 
sible for  neglect  or  criminal  avoidance  thereof 


#0  A    SORROWFUL    SEARCH. 

Years  have  gone  by  since  we  issued  the  foregoing  history  of  the  secret  life 
and  doings  of  that  human  vampire,  Madam  Restell ;  and  her  memory,  like 
her  dust,  was  crumbling  away  into  forgetfulness,  when  one  day  lately  a  lady 
entered  with  the  book  in  her  hand. 

After  introducing  the  subject  and  conversing  in  a  general  way,  she  finally 
said: 

"Well,  I  have  no  doubt  you  think  it  curious  to  have  a  lady  call  to  see 
you  about  this ;  but  you  will  no  longer  think  so  when  I  tell  you  that  unfor- 
tunately I  was  one  of  the  principal  actors  in  a  portion  of  that  terrible  life, 
which  the  author  of  your  little  book  describes  with  such  intense  vividness.  I 
am  Mary  Appelgate  !" 

It  was  most  assuredly  a  startling  surprise  to  hear  this  avowal  of  identity 
on  the  part  of  our  visitor ;  but  when  we  remembered  her  positiveness  of 
disposition  on  the  memorable  occasion  when  her  infant  daughter  had  been 
taken  from  her  by  force,  our  surprise  measurably  abated. 

"My  life  since  then,"  continued  our  visitor,  "has  been  spent  in  trying  to 
accomplish  one  and  only  one  object." 

"Did  you  ever  succeed  in  getting  your  little  girl  back?"  inquired  we,  as 
she  paused. 

"Ah  !"  exclaimed  she,  burying  her  face  in  her  hands  and  bursting  into 
tears,  "how  did  you  know?    Did  anybody  ever  tell  you  of  my  hunt  ?" 

"No,"  we  explained,  "but  it  was  the  first  thought  that  came  into  mind 
when  you  just  now  mentioned  your  name." 

"And  that  is  just  what  has  brought  me  to  see  you  to-day.  It  is  rather  a 
long  story,  but  I  hope  you  will  have  patience  with  me  while  I  tell  you,  and 
then  I  think,  or  at  least  I  do  hope,  you  will  help  me  in  my  object,  which  is 
to  find  my  child." 

"Most  certainly,  Miss  Appelgate,  both  the  one  and  the  other ;  your  search 
through  all  these  years  shows  the  noblest  devotion  of  a  true  mother's  heart. 
So  not  only  shall  we  listen  to  it,  but  we  will  send  it  broadcast  all  over  the 
country,  and  who  knows  but  that  may  be  a  means  of  discovering  the  where- 
abouts of  your  little  one — though,  as  you  say,  she  must  be  quite  a  woman 


now. 


"God  bless  you  for  your  kind  words,  and  now  let  me  correct  one  error  ia 
the  book  you  issued  at  the  time.  You  said  a  little  boy,  but  it  was  a  girl. 
After  I  had  Madam  Restell  arrested,  my  father  sent  me  to  Peekskill  to  board 
with  a  farmer's  family  there,  and  promised  to  at  once  cause  a  search  to  be 
made  for  my  baby." 

"What  was  its  name  ?"  we  inquired  without  thinking.  Otherwise  the 
question  would  not  have  been  asked,  for,  with  a  scarlet  blush,  Miss  AppeU 
gate  replied : 


irn^... 


"  It  has  grot  to  to  be  done  my  way ! "  said  she,  pointing"  to  the  child. 
«mg  pföthtn  »ie  t  *  »id!  £)<*«  fage  t#  lM  mtt>  fie  jeigte  awf  *ai  £t»k 


"'] 


A   SORROWFUL   SEARCH.  33 

"It  had  no  name ;  but  I  just  called  it  'Darling,'  and  I  don't  think  I  would 
ever  call  her  any  other  name  if  I  found  her,  though,  no  doubt,  somebody 
else  has  given  her  a  name.  Oh  !  sir,  sometimes  my  heart  feels  like  as  though 
it  must  break  when  I  think  of  everything.  Why  is  it  that  women  must 
always  bear  the  brunt  of  everything  and  endure  all  the  suffering  and. odium  ? 
But,  no  use  in  mourning  over  the  unjust  cruelty  of  the  world.  Father  kept 
his  promise  faithfully,  and  did  all  that  money  could  do  to  trace  the  woman 
to  whom  Madam  Restell  had  given  up  my  child.  That  villainous  old  wretch, 
when  he  went  to  her  and  explained  to  her  his  errand,  said  to  him  : 

"  'All  right,  but  not  a  single  clue  will  I  give  you  till  you  pay  for  the  loss 
and  misery  that  girl  of  yours  has  cost  me. ' 
'How  much  do  you  ask  ?' 

fNot  a  penny  less  than  five  thousand  dollars  cash  down — no  checks— 
but  the  crisp  currency.  It  ought  to  be  ten  thousand,  but  I'll  take  five.  No 
difference  to  me  whether  you  come  to  terms  or  not.  And  even  if  you  do,  I 
won't  insure  your  getting  the  child  back.  You  see,  when  proud  parents  em- 
ploy me  to  save  their  daughters  from  disgrace,  and  to  rid  them  of  the  dis- 
agreeable consequences  of  their  peccadilloes,  I  act  faithfully  for  them.  So, 
when  I  give  the  babies  away  its  the  same  to  me  as  if  I  stood  on  the  deck  of 
a  steamer  in  the  middle  of  the  ocean,  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  and 
dropped  them  into  the  water.  Therefore  I'll  be  honest  with  you  and  tell 
you  that  for  your  five  thousand  dollars  I  can  only  put  you  on  a  trace,  and 
nothing  more. ' 

"Of  course,  father  could  not  get  the  money  till  bank  hours  the  next  day, 
and  the  next  night  he  took  it  to  her.  She  then  told  him  all  she  knew  about 
the  woman  who  got  my  precious  child.  But  after  tracing  her  for  some  time 
he  lost  her  in  Cincinnati. 

"From  there  he  returned  home,  and,  shortly  afterwards  was  stricken  with 
paralysis,  and  had  me  brought  home  also,  forgave  me  for  all  the  disgrace 
and  sorrow  I  had  caused  him,  and  died  in  my  arms. 

"He  also  left  me  his  money,  and  much  of  that  I  have  spent  in  the  thus-far 
vain  search.  But,  oh,  sir,  I  would  willingly  give  every  penny  of  all  I  have 
left,  and  work  hard  the  rest  of  my  life  to  once  again  clasp  my  child  to  my 
aching  heart.  I  often  wonder  if  I  shall  be  forgiven  above  as  my  poor,  dear 
father  forgave  me,  and  as  the  Saviour  forgave  Mary  Magdalene.  Every  day^ 
every  hour  of  my  life  has  been  one  of  sincere,  contrite  repentance. 

"I  often  compare  myself  to  Hester  Vaughan  of  the  Scarlet  Letter  story* 
But  she  had  the  consolation  of  being  with  her  child,  while  I  have  not.  Oh, 
but  that  gnaws  at  my  heart  night  and  day  like  a  canker-worm  and,  like  Cain, 
I  am  sometimes  ready  to  cry  out,  'My  punishment  is  greater  than  I  can 
bear!'"        3 


S4  A   SORROWFUL   SEARCH. 


"Perhaps  Providence  is  only  disciplining  you,  and  will  yet  bring  you  and 
your  daughter  together  again,  so  that  the  supreme  happiness  of  that  re-union 
may  fully  compensate  for  your  long  years  of  patient  suffering.  Then,  again, 
did  it  ever  occur  to  you  that  she  may  possibly  not  be  living?" 

A  wild  cry  of  anguish  from  Miss  Appelgate  was  the  reply  to  this  sugges- 
tion. "My  Darling  dead  ?  Oh,  no  !  no  !  She  is  somewhere  !  Somewhere 
in  this  great,  wide,  wide  world,  and  some  day — some  day  I  will — I  will  see 
her  and  clasp  her  to  my  bosom  once  again.  Once  again  !"  she  added  after 
a  pause,  and  speaking  in  almost  a  whisper,  "once  again  I  do  that,  then  I 
can  lie  down  and  die  in  peace  and  happiness." 

Again  she  became  silent,  and  then  in  a  bright,  hopeful  manner  said  : 

"Oh,  yes,  I  feel  now  that  I  shall  find  her.  With  the  help  you  have  just 
promised  I  feel  that  she  and  I  will  be  re-united — and  then,  then  we  will 
never  be  parted  again,  and  I  will  be  so  happy  !  so  happy  !  so  happy !" 

"Well,  now,  let  us  speak  practically,"  suggested  we.  "Are  there  any 
marks  about  her  body  by  which  she  could  be  identified?" 

"Yes,  on  the  left  arm  just  above  the  elbow,  on  the  side  of  the  arm  next 
the  body." 

"What  are  they,  and  we  will  print  a  description  in  the  book." 

"No  !  please  do  not  do  that.  I  will  gladly  tell  you  what  they  are,  but  do 
not  print  them.  I  tried  putting  them  in  advertisements  in  the  'Personal' 
column  of  newspapers,  and  received  replies  from  dishonest  people,  who  had 
the  marks  tatooed  on  some  girl's  arm  and  then  endeavored  to  palm  it  off  on 
me.  But  when  I  looked  for  another  mark  which  I  had  put  on  the  body,  it 
was  not  there.  So  I  quickly  discovered  the  cheat.  Please  say  where  the 
marks  are  on  the  arm,  and  if  a  description  is  sent  I  will  go  to  the  place  and 
see  if  the  bearer  of  them  is  my  poor,  lost  darling.  And  when  I  find  her — 
oh,  I  fear  my  heart  will  almost  break  with  joy.  And  reward — a  hundred  ? 
Yes,  I  would  gladly  give  ten  times  that  and  the  gratitude  of  a  whole  life- 
time besides." 

"Well,  Miss  Appelgate,  you  are  a  thousand  times  welcome  to  whatever 
we  can  do  to  help  discover  the  whereabouts  of  your  child.  Your  case  re- 
minds us  strongly  of  the  Charlie  Ross  affair  ;  but  may  heaven  vouchsafe  you 
a  different  ending  from  that." 

Tears  rolled  down  the  cheeks  of  our  visitor  as  she  bade  us  good-bye  in  a 
voice  trembling  with  emotion,  and  we  feel  that  every  reader  will  share  with 
us  the  hope  that  she  may  soon  hear  of  her  lost  dear  one. 


MISS  ALDEN'S  ESCAPE. 


ONE  night  as  officer  Tarelton  was'patrolling  his  beat  up  town,  his  atton, 
tioa  was  attracted  by  the  figure  of  a  young  woman  who  was  walking 
«lose  in  to  the  walls  of  the  houses  in  the  avenue.  The  peculiarity  of  her 
motion,  so  suspicious,  caused  him  at  once  to  hasten  toward  her.  He  did 
not  accost  her  immediately  but  following  her  own  motions  kept  himself 
in  the  shadow  of  the  houses,  taking  care  not  to  remove  his  eyes  from  her, 
however. 

Presently  he  saw  the  woman  go  up  the  steps  of  a  building  and  kneel 
«p  on  the  top  stone  and  peer — as  he  thought  at  the  key-hole.  Now  to  a 
police  man  even  the  ordinary  action  of  every  body  out  late  at  night  be- 
comes suspicious,  but  if  it  comes  to  such  extraordinary  motions  as  these, 
well  he  knows  his  services  as  Paul  Pry  are  needed.  Tarelton  already 
toad  a  record  as  a  keen  brave  officer  and  this  record  being  at  stake  ht 
itesitated  no  longer,  but  starting  on  a  dead  run  he  was  in  a  moment  or 
wo  at  the  young  woman's  side,  aud  demanded  of  her  in  no  gentle  tone, 
"Here I  what  are  you  about?" 

She  looked  up,  and  in  the  dim  light  of  the  stars  and  distant  gas  lamp» 
seeing  his  uniform,  she  exclaimed : 

"Oh,  sir,  yon  are  an  officer!  I  am  so  glad.  I  now  have  nothing  to 
fear.     I  am  looking  for  Mr.  Talmadge's  house." 

"Gome,  come,  now,  young  woman,"  said  he  in  a  warning  tone  ef  voice, 
M  that  may  be  so,  but  you've  been  acting  so  mighty  queer  that  I  think 
jorte  trying  to  give  me  taffey." 


4  A   THRILLING    E2CAPS. 

41  Sir  ?  *'  asked  she  in  astonishment. 

The  officer  had  purposely  used  this  bit  of  slang  to  see  if  she  understood 
Si  But  either  she  was  acting  a  part  most  excellently  or  else  she  knew 
nothing  of  the  terms  in  use  by  thieves.  So  he  altered  his  manner  to  one 
of  less  harshness  and  continued ; 

"Miss,  I've  no  doubt  you  are  nil  right;  but  the  hour  is  late  and  when 
we  see  people  keeping  in  the  dark  parts  of  the  side  walk  and  then  peop- 
ling in  keyholes  of  front  doors  it  looks  suspicious,  and  we  want  explana- 
tions that  will  be  satisfactory.  And  without  we  get  them  our  orders  as 
well  as  our  duty  are  to  take  em  in  to  the  station.  New  yon  say  you 
want  to  find  Mr.  Talmadge's  house.  If  you  mean  the  minister  of  the 
Tabernacle,  then  he  don't  live  here,  nor  noways  near  here." 

The  young  woman  seemed  to  perceive  in  an  instant  the  dangerous 
predicament  in  which  she  had  placed  herself  by  her  apparently  question« 
able  manner  and  actions  and  so  for  a  moment  or  two  she  felt  most  terribly 
frightened. 

"What  did  you  want  with  Mr.  Talmadge,  anyway?*  inquired  Tarelton, 
feeling  undecided  what  to  do  or  ask,  although  his  official  instinct  made 
him  feeling  like  arresting  his  trembling  companion. 

11  I  wanted  to  tell  him  the  story  of  my  escape  from  the  Oneida  Free 
Love  place  up  in  the  state." 

This  reply  rather  discomposed  the  officer  than  otherwise,  for  while  it 
might  be  only  one  of  the  thousand  and  one  trumped-up  stories  which  come 
so  glibly  to  the  tongues  of  rogues,  there  was  something  in  the  tones  ia 
which  it  was  uttered  that  made  him  feel  that  quite  possibly  the  speaker 
was  telling  the  truth. 

"Your  escape  from  the  Oneida  Free  Love  Cummunity!"  he  answered, 
"well  now  what  do  you  suppose  Mr.  Talmadge  would  want  to  know 
about  that  subject  ?  Do  you  think  he  would  like  it  because  he's  been 
showing  up  the  dens  in  the  city,  and  unmasking  hypocrites  in  high  life 
here.  Because  if  you  do  I  don't  believe  he'd  care  to  meddle  with  it.  I 
guess  he  has  had  about  enough  of  that.  But  look  here  young  lady  I've 
got  to  do  my  duty.  Will  you  tell  me  where  you  live  ?  If  I  had  seen  yo» 
walking  along  like  any  other  body  does  when  she  goes  hunting  * 
minister's  house  I  should  not  have  said  a  word  to  you,  but  when  yotf 
went  along  the  way  you  were  agoing,  dodging  in  and  out  just  like  burg- 
lars' pals  do,  why  I  felt  I  ought  to  look  after  you." 

"Oh  dear  me !  oh  sir,  I  never  dreamed  of  such  a  thing.  Why  I  am 
not  a  burglar.  And  the  reason  I  was  dodging  in  and  out  was  because  I 
have  been  afraid  of  my  life  for  a  long  time.  If  you  will  go  with  me  1 
Will  quickly  prove  to  you  that  what  I  tell  you  is  the  truth.* 

There  was  something  about  this  reply  that  convinced  the  experienced 


▲   THBILUNQ  ISOAPI.  $ 

officer  that  his  companion  was  really  truthful  in  her  assertions  and  bt 
said : 

"All  right,  Miss,  you  must  excuse  me,  and  if  you  want  to  find  out  Me 
Talmadge's  address,  you  will  find  it  in  the  directory  down  at  the  drugstore 
on  the  corner  there.  What  or  who  is  it  you  say  you  are  afraid  of  yottf 
life  about  ?   Some  man  I  suppose." 

"Yes,  sir,"  was  the  reply. 

"Well,  why  don't  you  swear  it  against  him  ?" 

"What  do  you  mean  by  that,  sir?"  required  the  girl. 

"Ah,  I  do  believe  yon  are  a  green  one,"  laughed  the  officer  as  he  step* 
ped  back  a  pace  and  contemplated  the  other.  "  I  do  believe  you  are  a 
real  country  girl.  What  I  mean  is  why  don't  you  go  to  a  magistrate  and 
havo  this  man,  whoever  he  is  that  you  are  afraid  of,  bound  over,  put 
under  bail,  give  security,  which  ever  you  choose,  so  that  he  won't  touch 
you  ?" 

"Can  I  do  that  ?  " 

"Yes,  to  be  sure  vou  can." 

"And  that  would  make  me  safe  from  all  danger  at  his  hands?  n 

"  I  don't  know  of  any  safer  method.  I  don't  believe  he'd  want  to 
bother  yon  any  after  \äai.  It  most  always  settles  off  these  chaps  thai 
takes  to  misusing  the  womon  folks." 

"  But  he  is  rich  and  I  am  poor,  and  besides,  I  would  be  ashamed  to  go 
tot  law.     It  is  always  so  disgraceful  for  people  to  go  to  law." 

"That  depends  on  which  side  you're  on,"  replied  Tarelton.  "Now,  if 
you  be  a  plaintiff,  why  it's  ail  honorable  enough ;  but  if  you  be  the  de- 
fendant then  it  aint  But  for  all,  whether  the  one  or  the  other,  you 
hardly  ever  know  which  way  tUe  see-saw  is  going  to  throw  you.  And 
eometimes  I've  seen  cases  where  the  plaintive  was  a  good  deal  worse  off 
than  the  defendant !  Well,  here  we  are  at  the  drug  store.  I'll  stay  out 
and  you  can  go  in  and  look  at  the  directory." 

The  two  had  involuntarily  walked  along  while  they  conversed,  until 
they  now  stood  upon  the  pavement  in  front  of  the  apothecary 

"They  won't  think  it  queer  of  me  will  they,  if  I  ask  them  to  let  me  do 
such  a  thing  as  look  at  their  directory  ?  "  inquired  the  young  woman. 

"Oh,  my  goodness  gracious!  no!  not  at  all!"  laughed  the  policeman, 
"why  everybody  does  that  when  they  want  to  find  anybody's  else  ad- 
dress and  don't  know  it." 

The  young  woman  thereupon  entered  the  druggist's  and  having  ascer- 
tained what  she  wished,  came  out,  and  told  the  officer  what  it  was. 

"Oh,"  said  he,  •*  you  are  a  long  way  off  from  that  I  can  tell  you." 

"Then  I  bette*  go  home,  I  guess,"  said  she. 

41  Yes,  I  think  you  had." 


€  A    THRILLING    ESCAPE. 

She  then  told  him  where  she  lived  on  east  Eighth  street. 
"Why,"  exclaimed  he,  "that's  exactly  where  I  live  myself,  or  at  least 
not  half  a  block  away/' 

"Ah,  then  I  am  glad  of  that,"  she  replied,  "for  I  shall  feel  safe  in 
walking  back  there  with  you  sir." 

"Yes,  but  I  am  not  going  there.  I  can't  leave  my  beat,"  said  the 
policeman,  "but,"  added  he,  "I  can  give  you  in  charge  of  the  man  on 
the  next  beat,  and  he  can  pass  you  safely  along  till  you  get  right  to  the 
door." 

"Oh,  I  shall  be  ever  so  much  obliged  to  you  sir,  if  you  will,"  was  her 
reply,  "or  at  least  till  I  get  to  the  house  of  a  lady  I  met  today,  and 
who  was  very  kind  to  me,  and  by  whose  advice  I  came  to  seek  Mr.  Tal» 
madge." 

"Ah,  who  was  she  ?" 

"Her  name  was  Mrs.  Tarelton — " 

"Why!  bless  my  soul!  interrupted  the  policeman  that's  my  wife!" 

"Your  wife!"  reiterated  the  girl,  "yoar  wife!  what  a  strange  co-ia» 
cidence." 

The  officer  at  once  became  completely  friendly  to  the  young  stranger 
and  said : 

"It's  allright,  Miss,  I  am  satisfied.  Two  blocks  below  is  the  end  of  m/ 
beat,  and  I'll  give  you  in  charge  there  and  you'll  be  all  right.  And  don1! 
forget,  whatever  I  or  my  wife  can  do  for  you  will  be  done  with  the 
greatest  pleasure.  Here!  there!  what  do  you  mean?  eh?"  exclaimed 
Tarelton  in  a  gruff,  stern  voice,  slipping  to  the  other  side  of  his  compan- 
ion, and  seizing  a  burly  fellow  who  had  come  across  the  street  and  peered 
into  the  face  of  the  young  lady,  who  tremblingly  clung  to  her  friend  and 
protector. 

"Is  this  the  man  who  has  been  scaring  you  so?"  asked  the  latter, 
tightening  his  grasp  and  drawing  his  club,  as  the  prisoner  seemed  disposed 
to  wrench  himself  loose.  "Come!  come!  no  nonsense  with  me  you 
know !  What  do  you  mean  ?" 

"I  diden't  mean  nothin !  I  seen  you  had  copped  the  gal,  an'  I  thought 
mebbey  she  wuz  one  of  my  friends  an'  I  wanted  to  bail  her  ef  she 
wuz !" 

"No,  sir,  he  is  not  the  man,"  said  the  girl. 

Upon  this  the  officer  released  his  prisoner,  who  strode  away  into  the 
darkness,  in  a  fury,  and  threatening  to  get  even  with  the  policeman  for 
assault  and  false  arrest.     But  that  worthy  only  laughed  and  said : 

"Oh,  these  roughs  like  to  hear  themselves  talk!  that's  the  way  they 
let  themselves  down  easy  like.    But  come,"  said  he  after  a  pause,  "here 


A    THRILLING    ESCAPE. 

we  are,  and  I  must  leere  you.     What  did  you  say  your  name  was  ?  yoe 
didn't  tell  me  I  think." 

"My  name  is  Jenny  Alden,"  was  the  modest  reply. 

"Well,  Jenny,  I'm  glad  you  fell  in  with  me,  for  I  tell  you  New  York 
is  a  dangerous  place  for  a  pretty  young  girl  to  be  walking  round  in  after 
night  fall.     Here,  Joe ! " 

This  exclamation  was  addressed  to  another  policeman  who  was  patrol- 
ling on  the  other  corner. 

<<  Hallo !  Tarelton,  what's  up  ?  " 

"  Nothing  but  I  want  you  to  see  this  young  lady  across  to  Harry's 
beat.  She  has  lost  her  way  and  lives  within  a  block  of  my  house.  Who's 
on  next  to  Harry  ?  " 

"I  don't  know." 

"Well  tell  Harry  to  see  that  Miss  Alden  here  is  passed  all  right. * 

Joe,  a  stalwart  man,  and  quite  genteel  in  his  bearing  raised  his  cap 
and  offered  Jenny  his  arm. 

She  took  it  with  such  an  innocent  freedom  and  yet  so  modestly  «a 
Tarelton  bade  her  good  night,  that  he  could  not  help,  smiling  and  saidi 

"You're  not  used  to  city  life,  I  should  say,  Miss." 

"No,  sir,  I  was  never  in  New  York  before,  but  how  do  yon  know 
that  ?  "  • 

' '  From  your  manner." 

"Then  I'm  behaving  awkwardly,  I  suppose.*' 

"No,  not  at  all,  but  you  see  we  policemen  get  so  we  can  tell  a strangwr 
in  an  instant  almost,  as  soon  as  we  see  them." 

"  Mr.  Tarelton  was  telling  me  it  is  a  dangerous  place  here.  But  I 
don't  see  how  that  can  be,  when  there  are  so  many  policemen,  I'm  su#e 
I  have  seen  at  least  ten  as  I  came  along  this  evening." 

"Well  it  is  such  a  place  that  we  have  over  two  thousand  policemo*, 
and  even  with  all  those,  there's  a  great  deal  of  iniquity  goes  on  that  we 
can  never  stop  nor  prevent." 

The  two  thus  conversed  pleasantly  until  the  next  patrol  was  reached 
when  our  heroine  was  given  in  charge  to  him,  and  he  taking  her  across 
bis  beat  delivered  her  safely  to  the  next.  In  this  way  she  speedily 
reached  her  home  in  Eighth  street.  The  next  day  she  went  to  see  Mrs» 
Tarelton,  whose  husband  was  home  off  duty.  And  to  the  latter  she  re- 
peated her  story  but  with  fuller  details  than  she  had  to  the  wife. 

We  here  interrupt  our  narrative  to  insert  in  it  an  account  of  a  meeting 
of  ministers  called  at  Syracuse,  New  York,  to  agitate  public  opinion  con- 
cerning the  suppression  of  the  Oneida  Communists.  We  merely  give  our 
opinion  individually  when,  after  reading  about  the  meeting,  we  say  that 
while  the  actual  life  of  these  people  among  themselves  may  be  harmless 


S  A  THRILLING   BSOAPR. 

to  them  and  from  their  stand  point,  the  example  it  sets  to  the  people  ra* 
rounding  them  is  a  bad  one.  A  Community  of  unclean  lepers  shut  op  in 
a  city  of  refuge  by  themselves  may  require  no  looking  after,  no  restraint» 
may  live  and  even  enjoy  themselves.  But  if  they  be  allowed  to  be  close 
to  other  people  how  long  will  it  be  before  the  whole  nation  becomes 
leprous?  The  Oneida  Free  Lovers  point  to  the  Mormons  of  Utah  and  say 
the  United  States  Government  allow  them  representation  in  Congress. 
Alas!  we  know  it  I  we  acknowledge  the  burning  shame!  but,  with  the 
help  of  the  Lord,  we  shall  cauterize  the  vile  sore  from  the  body  politic 
in  a  few  years.  And  we  shall  tolerate  no  Utah  in  the  beautiful  valleys 
of  the  East  here.  God  forbid  that  the  golden  band — the  wedding  ring 
«hall  ever  bind  but  one  loving,  trnsting  woman  to  a  man.  Oh,  mother ! 
you  whose  white  hair  scantily  covers  temples  once  fair  and  unwrinkled. 
«hall  your  loving  heart  be  broken  in  the  Autumn  of  your  days,  by  such 
practices?  Oh,  daughter,  fair  budding,  thoughtless  girl!  shall  your 
sweet  dream  of  hope — the  winning  of  one  noble  manly  heart — be  clouded 
by  the  dread  that  some  day  you  will  be  cast  aside  as  no  longer  attractive. 
Thank  Heaven,  no!  There  are  all  sorts  of  wickedness  in  this  world,  but 
let  us  keep  it  within  its  boundaries,  and  see  that  that  it  does  not  break 
through  the  restraining  banks  and  deluge  all  the  land  with  its  reeking 
tides. 


THE  MINISTERS  MEETING. 

i 
A  movement  was  organized  in  Syracuse  which  has  for  its  object  the 

eradication  of  the  Oneida  Cummunitv.  The  head  and  front  of  the 
crusade  is  Dr.  J.  W.  Mears,  of  Hamilton  College.  The  first  steps  were 
taken  at  a  former  meeting  held  at  the  Syracuse  University.  In  response 
U  a  call,  in  which  reference  is  made  to  the  great  wrong  done  society  by 
the  institution  known  as  the  Oneida  Cummunity,  from  its  deadly  opposi- 
tion to  the  principles  of  morality,  about  fifteen  ministers  of  the  Gospel 
responded  to  the  invitation.  Among  these  were  Bishop  Huntington,  of 
the  Episcopal  diocese  of  Central  New  York ;  Bishop  Peck,  of  the  Metho- 
dist Church;  Chancellor  Haven,  of  the  University  ;  Dr.  Mears,  of  Haniil-/ 
ton  College  ;  Rev.  James  Porter,  of  Brooklyn,  Congregationalist,  Rev. 
Miner  and  nearly  all  the  local  clergymen  of  the  various  denominations.  < 
The  movement  has  been  developing  for  a  long  time.  Dr.  Mears  stated 
it  before  the  Utica  Presbytery  a  year  ago,  and  was  appointed  chairman 


A   THRILLING    ESCAPE.  t 

of  a  committee  to  collect  information  as  to  the  practices  of  the  Coo* 
inanity. 

At  simultaneous  meetings  of  the  General  Association  of  the  Congrega» 
tional  Church  and  a  Synod  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  held  at  Oswego 
last  October,  resolutions  denouncing  the  Community  were  passed.  Tbt 
Presbyterians  called  it  a  "pernicious  institution,  which  rests  substaa« 
tially  on  a  system  of  organized  fanaticism  and  lust.1'  Bishop  Hunting* 
ton,  in  his  last  Lenten  pastoral  letter,  condemned  the  Community  in  good 
round  terms.  Outside  of  this  the  movement  has  slumbered  until  to-day, 
when  it  assumed  something  like  a  formidable  aspect.  Each  person  who 
entered  the  University  to  day  was  handed  a  copy  of  the  American  Soci- 
alist, the  Community  organ,  which  bristled  with  editorial  and  other 
articles  of  a  natnre  calculated  to  create  a  favorable  sentiment.  A  boy 
stood  at  the  door  to  make  the  distribution.  Its  editor,  William  A.  Hinds, 
waft  also  present,  notebook  in  hand.  The  assembled  divines  read  the 
Socialist  until  Chancellor  Haven  called  the  Conference  to  order.  On  his 
motion  Bishop  Hmntington  was  chosen  chairman.  Bishop  Peck  offered 
player  appropriate  to  the  occasion.  Dr.  Mears  was  asked  to  read  the 
call,  with"  which  request  he  complied,  closing  with  a  statement  that  it 
was  not  expected  or  desired  that  others  than  those  who  had  been  invited 
by  letter  should  be  present.  This  was  directed  at  the  reporters,  who 
were  there  in  large  force,  all  the  New  York  papers  being  represented. 
IT  he  gentlemen  of  the  press  retired.  After  the  doors  were  closed  and  a 
g»iard  placed  thereat  the  meeting  proceeded  to  business. 

Exclusive  as  were  the  council  they  failed  to  rid  the  meeting  of  the 
presence  of  a  member  of  the  Oneida  Community  who  was  there  in  the 
guise  of  a  delegate.  Editor  Hinds  left  the  room  with  the  reporters  The 
interloper  was  not  discovered,  although  the  precaution  was  taken  to  call 
for  the  name,  residence  and  faith  of  every  person  present.  After  the  call 
of  the  roll  the  chair  called  on  Professor  Mears  to  state  what  facts  were 
ii/>  his  possession  in  regard  to  the  Community.  Professor  Mears  alluded 
to  the  first  action  taken  some  time  ago  by  the  Synod  of  which  he  was  a 
»iemb«r  with  respect  to  this  local  evil,  and  to  the  resolutions  that  were 
passed  at  a  later  date  by  the  State  Baptist  Association,  in  harmony  with 
the  action  of  the  Synod.  Professor  Mears  then  gave  a  brief  sketch  of  the 
rise  and  progress  of  the  institution.  The  movement  was  headed  by 
Noyes,  a  graduate  of  a  college. 

He  based  his  theory  on  the  second  chapter  of  Acts,  where  it  is  stated 
that  the  early  Christians  had  their  property  in  common;  but  Noyea 
diverged  from  the  Scriptural  view  by  holding  a  community  of  persons  as 
well  as  of  good.  Noyes,  in  college,  was  a  bright  student  and  promised 
to  be  a  useful  man.     His  communistic  movement  was  started  at  Poult* 


10  A  THMLLING    ISC  API. 

ney,  Vermont,  in  1347.  The  people  rose  against  it  and  Noyei  was 
obliged  to  flee.  He  came  to  this  section  about  thirty  years  ago.  I  may 
•ay  that  these  people  are  good  citizens,  orderly  and  cleanly  in  the  manner 
in  which  the  conduct  their  homes.  A  similar  community  was  started  at 
Waüingtord,  Connecticut,  bat  it  failed.  It  did  not  contain  the  elements 
of  success  that  the  Oneida  Community  does.  In  the  Oneida  Community 
men  and  women  live  together  in  a  sort  of  concupiscence.  No  woman  has 
a  husband  of  her  own,  and  no  man  has  a  wife  of  his  own.  They  declare 
that  they  live  the  resurrection  life,  in  which  "they  neither  marry  nor  are 
given  in  marriage."  They  are  not  allowed  the  right  of  choice.  If  they 
violate  this  rule  and  show  any  particular  attachment  for  one  another  they 
are  criticised  for  so  doing.  Noyes  has  great  influence  among  them.  Their 
institution  is  the  outgrowth  of  vile  passion.  A  person  going  through  this 
community  sees  nothing  there  to  offend.  All  is  secret  Our  students 
who  visit  the  place  say  that  the  men  look  passably  well,  but  that  tb« 
women  have  a  dejected  look,  and  how  such  women  can  be  the  mothers  sit 
an  excellent  stock  of  men  is  one  of  the  problems  which  the  students  di  *- 
cuss.  Three  or  four  years  ago  a  similar  community  was  started  in  tie 
Northeastern  part  of  this  State.  The  Oneida  Community  has  its  location 
in  the  very  centre  of  the  State.  I  did  not  know  but  that  we  were  to  hate 
the  State  clothed  with  these  communities.  That  Northern  Community* 
however,  has  been  sold  out  Whatever  can  be  done  ought  to  be  done  :'*• 
New  York  as  it  was  in  Vermont  for  the  sake  of  the  morals  of  the  State. 

Chancellor  Haven  asked  whether  the  women  ever  leave  their  precinct  1 
The  answer  was,  "Not  much,  if  at  all."  Dr.  Fowler  asked  whether  Frin 
fessor  Mears  thought  the  leaders  in  the  Community  were  sincere  in  com* 
parison  with  the  Mormon  leaders  ?  He  replied,  "  I  presume  they  are. 
Noyes  says  the  Community  would  be  a  failure  without  the  present 
method  of  social  intercourse. "     Dr.  Fowler — Is  it  dying  out? 

Professor  Mears — It  shows  no  signs  of  it,  Professor  Mears  added  that 
they  are  educating  their  young  men  so  as  to  perpetuate  their  institution. 
One  or  more  have  been  at  Yale  College.  The  total  valae  of  their  property 
is  about  $500,000  or  $600,000,  according  to  their  estimate. 

Bishop  Huntington  said  <(this  is  not  an  isolated  community.  It  should 
be  shown  in  the  light.  There  is  an  impure  emanation  from  it  Young 
people  go  there  and  return  with  these  Impure  thoughts  and  association» 
in  their  minds."  ' 

At  this  point  Dr.  Porter,  of  Hamilton,  read  a  letter  from  Congressman 
Baker,  in  which  the  writer  states  that  it  is  a  disgrace  to  the  United  States 
that  a  Mormon  delegate  should  be  admitted  to  Congress  from  Utah,  and 
that  it  is  a  disgrace  to  New  York  that  such  a  community  as  this  is  allowed 


A    THÄ2LL1NG    SSCAPX.  11 

to  exist  in  the  State,    The  speaker  held  that  this  syatem  is  a  foal  blot  ob 
civilization. 

Bishop  Peck  indorsed  the  view  given  that  the  exigencies  of  this  parti* 
cular  time  demand  that  we  do  something.  He  indorsed  Congressman 
Baker's  letter.  This  meeting  should  have  succession  and  permanence. 
We  should  neither  look  for  sudden  success  nor  ultimate  failure.  The  evil 
is  too  deep  seated  to  be  easily  eradicated.  It  is  in  the  hands  of  sagacious 
men.  The  method  of  treatment  must  be  moral  and  Scriptural.  If  the 
Community  stood  alone  without  sympathy  from  the  outside  public,  and 
with  less  sagacious  leaders,  it  mignt  be  overcome  by  a  popular  uprising. 
Hot  headed  men  will  do  us  no  good  in  this  work.  The  opposition  most 
be  soundly  Scriptural, 

The  following  resolutions  were  introduced : — 

Resolved,  That  it  is  the  urgent  duty  of  the  people  of  the  State  to  tab» 
and  press  measures  for  the  suppression  of  the  immoral  features  of  th| 
Oneida  Community. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  be  appointed,  to  whom  shall  be  committed 
all  questions  of  fact  or  law  relating  to  the  Oneida  Community  and  of 
measures  which  ought  to  be  adopted,  and  to  report  at  a  future  conference 
which  the  committee  will  call. 

Bishop  Huntington  was  appointed  chairman  of  the  committee,  with  it» 
structions  to  associate  with  himself  Dr.  Beard,  of  Syracuse,  and  Dir 
Mears.  of  Hamilton  College. 

Rev.  Gt.  M.  Pierce,  of  Utah,  editor  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Advocate, 
being  present,  was  invited  to  speak,  and  he  pictured  the  deplorable  socitA 
state  of  the  Mormon  people. 

The  Chair  called  on  Mr.  L.  W.  Hall,  a  prominent  member  of  the  Syr», 
wise  Bar,  to  present  the  legal  phase  of  the  question.  Mr.  Hall  said  it 
Would  naturally  be  presumed  that  such  offences  have  been  treated  else- 
where. Repressive  efforts  have  been]  taken  in  Massachusetts  and  Cock 
necticut  against  adultery  and  lascivious  coabitation.  In  our  own  State 
adultery  has  not  been  made  a  penal  offence.  In  regard  to  this  particular 
case  it  occurs  to  me  there  must  be  specific  legislation.  If  we  can  get  a 
moral  sentiment  aroused,  public  feeliug  turned  toward  Oneida,  we  will 
not  need  severe  legislation.  If  in  the  statute  in  regard  to  disorderly  per- 
sons the  word  "all  persons  living  in  concupiscence  and  adultery ''  were 
inserted,  it  would  embrace  every  one  in  the  Oneida  Community  Some 
suppose  that  it  will  die  out  of  itself.  I  think  legislation  would  speed  it 
en  its  way.  Bishop  Peck's  resolution  will  cover  what  we  ought  to  do  at 
this  meeting. 

The  Chair  here  asked  what  Congressman  Baker  means  by  saying  that 
this  fa  an  indictable  offence  at  common  law. 


12  X    THRILLING    ESCAPE. 

Mr.  Hall  replied  that  there  is  a  difference  of  opinion  on  this  point  I 
do  not  think  that  it  is  an  indictable  offence  as  the  law  stands« 

Chancellor  Haven  proposed  that  the  committee  inquire  into  the  law 
and  practice  of  the  Oneida  Community  and  into  the  feeling  of  citizens  of 
the  State  without  saying  anything  about  suppression.  He  had  no  doubt 
that  it  is  the  wish  of  Christian  people  to  arouse  the  feeling  of  the  people 
against  this  system.  Bishop  Huntington  was  right  in  saying  that  it  dif. 
fuses  an  impure  sentiment.  He  would  like  the  committee  to  inquire  what 
is  the  duty  of  Christians  and  citizens.  If  they  tell  us  we  ought  to  express 
our  opinion  and  stop  we  will  do  that  If  they  tell  us  we  should  petition 
the  Legislature  we  will  probably  do  that.  He  thought  that  in  the  reso- 
lutions they  should  not  assume  what  they  were  going  to  do.  He  did  not 
want  a  committee  to  tell  them  how  they  ought  to  suppress  it. 

Dr.  Torrey  agreed  with  Chancellor  Haven's  views.  He  thought  more 
decisive  action  should  be  taken.  He  wished  every  man,  woman  and  child 
to  understand  that  there  was  no  doubt  as  to  the  immorality  of  this  institu- 
tion. He  thought  they  should  not  be  afraid  to  express  themselves  in 
unequivocal  terms  in  regard  to  the  Oneida  Community«  A  lively  dis- 
cussion followed  on  Professor  Mears'  resolution,  which  was  finally 
adopted  in  a  slightly  modified  form.  The  question  then  arose  whether 
the  members  present  were  pledged  to  secrecy,  and  a  spirited  discussion 
em  the  subject  ensued.  Finally  the  secretary  was  instructed  to  furnish 
One  press  with  the  resolutions  adopted,  but  nothing  further. 


AN  INTERVIEW  WITH  AN  ONEIDA  MAN. 

I  met  J.  Humphry  Noyes,  the  acknowledged  leader  of  the  Community; 
but,  as  he  is  suffering  from  an  affection  of  the  throat  which  prevents  hie 
indulging  in  prolonged  conversation,  directed  my  interview  to  William 
Alfred  Hinds,  the  accomplished  editor  of  the  American  Socialist  and 
author  of  many  works  on  Communism. 

Mr.  Hinds  cordially  welcomed  me  as  the  representative  of  the  Herald 
and  cheerfully  responded  to  my  request  for  information  regarding  the 
views  of  the  Community  upon  the  proposed  efforts  of  the  clergy  to  destroy 
that  body.  The  result  of  the  interview  and  replies  to  my  questions  wne 
as  fellows:  — 

Mr.  Hinds — We  first  heard  of  the  meeting  called  by  Dr.  Mean,  of 
Haailton  College,  Bishop  Huntington  and  others  a  day  or  two  age  m 

\ 


A   THÄILLING    ESCAPE.  ]£ 

the  newspapers.  The  announcement  created  no  more  excitement  in  our 
Community  than  did  any  of  the  former  agitations  of  this  character,  almost 
the  whole  ground  having  been  gone  over  in  the  sensation  of  August  of 
last  year,  which  was  based  upon  the  misrepresentations  and  garbled  re- 
ports of  a  New  York  Bohemian 

What  originated  that  excitement  ? 

Mr.  Hinds — A  report  that  there  were  internal  dissensions  in  the  Coin- 
munity  and  the  reported  secession  of  ten  members  of  the  Community. 

This  is  not  the  first  time  that  Dr.  Hears  has  agitated  this  subject  ? 

Mr.  Hinds — No,  sir.  He  brought  the  Community  to  the  attention  of 
the  Presbyterian  Synod  of  Central  New  York  and  other  like  bodies  a  few 
years  ago. 

What  do  you  think  is  the  object  of  the  meeting  called  for  Syracuse  this 
week? 

Mr.  Hinds — We  think  this  is  the  preliminary  to  an  effort  to  make  thn 
movement  against  the  Community  general ;  an  effort  to  concentrate  the 
views  of  representatives  of  the  various  churches  of  the  State  for  the  pur« 
pose  of  creating  public  sentiment,  if  possible,  in  favor  of  State  legislation 
against  the  Community.  In  fact,  Dr.  Mears  stated  this  purpose  in  sub» 
stance  on  August  10,  1878,  to  the  editor  of  the  Utica  Herald,  when  he 
said  that  he  "thought  if  theCommunty  was  ever  disturbed  it  would  havt 
to  be  by  the  passage  of  a  special  statute  to  fit  its  case.  What  the  prospect 
of  enacting  such  a  law  was  he  could  express  no  opinion.  He  had  visit«! 
the  Community  and  been  most  kindly  treated  there.  He  regarded  iU 
members  as  upright  men  in  business  life  and  believed  that  the  founders 
of  the  Community  were  sincere  in  their  peculiar  doctrines.1'  In  addition 
to  the  Presbyterians,  the  subject  of  abolishing  the  Community  has  been 
brought  before  the  Methodist  and  Baptist  bodies,  but  we  have  no  knowl- 
edge of  any  particular  action. 

A  few  years  ago  a  committee  was  appointed  by  the  Presbyterian  Synod 
of  Central  New  York  to  look  into  our  affairs  and  suggest  some  plan  for 
action,  but  to  our  knowledge  this  committee  has  never  made  any  report» 
Tho  members  never  made  any  formal  call  here,  nor  did  any  of  them  apply 
for  information,  whi«h  would  have  been  given  cheerfully. 

Do  you  not  think  that  the  new  Polygamy  act  of  Congress  has  stimu- 
lated Dr.  Mears  and  his  confreres  to  renewed  effort? 

Mr.  Hinds — It  has  doubtless  given  live  to  this  movement,  but  that  act 
Vas  no  reference  to  Communities. 

About  thirteen  years  ago,  in  the  last  difficulty  with  a  seceder,  they 
tried  to  get  the  Community  indicted  in  Oneida  county,  and  for  this 
purpose  sought  to  obtain  the  services  of  Counsellor  Ward  Hunt,  of  TJtica, 
nor  Justice  Hunt,  of  the  Supreme  C*nrt  of  the  United  States.     After 


14  A   THRILLING    ^SOAt>« 

tearing  the  man's  story  Judge  Hunt  informed  us  that  he  did  not  like  the 
man  nor  his  effort,  and  he  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  him ;  but, 
after  knowing  thoroughly  our  principles  and  practices  he  very  willingly 
espoused  our  side  in  the  matter,  and  the  effort  for  indictment  was  again 
dropped. 

What  form  of  legislation  do  you  anticipate  will  be  sought  for  against 
you?  ^  l 

Mr.  Hinds — We  have  no  idea  as  to  how  they  intend  to  declare  our 
manner  of  life  or  the  acts  of  the  Community  a  crime  or  even  a  misdemea- 
nor. If  the  State  feels  called  upon  to  make  special  legislation  we  shall  not 
resist.  If  the  legislation  should  be  of  such  a  character  that  we  felt  as  if 
we  could  not  conscientiously  conform  to  it  then  we  might  conclude  to 
withdraw  from  our  Community  form,  or,  for  instance,  turn  Shakers.  In 
fact  there  is  a  great  deal  of  similarity  between  Communists  and  Shakers. 

Our  Community  is  a  non-proselyting  institution.  All  we  ask,  and  all 
we  have  ever  asked,  is  to  allow  us  to  go  on  our  peaceful  way.  We  have 
been  quite  careful  even  in  our  own  paper  to  keep  our  radical  society  prin- 
ciples in  the  background.  For  a  year  at  least  we  have  not  circulated  at 
all  any  of  our  publications  explaining  these  peculiar  principles.  In  fact, 
we  have  entirely  withdrawn  them  from  circulation,  and  at  present  have 
m>  intention  of  thrusting  them  on  the  public  But  supposing  these  mem- 
bers and  self-appointed  guardians  of  social  morality  should  succeed  in 
breaking  up  the  Oneida  Community  what  would  be  the  result  ?  It  cer- 
tainly would  have  this  result : — It  would  set  free  a  great  many  people 
i»ere  to  go  into  this  very  business  of  proselyting.  We  have  quite  a 
üiumber  of  writers  and  speakers  who  would  like  no  better  fun  than  to 
spread  our  principles  by  lecturing  and  all  means  that  are  usually  taken 
advantage  of  for  such  objects.  And  then  these  wise  men  ought  to  bear 
in  mind  that  no  system  ever  dies  so  long  as  it  is  subject  to  persecution. 
In  fact,  if  these  reverends  had  genuine  faith  in  the  good  old  Gamalian 
doctrine  they  would  consider  that  they  would  do  the  most  service  to  the 
world  hy  letting  the  Community  severely  alone.  "For  if  this  thing  be 
of  men  it  will  come  to  naught ;  if  it  be  of  God,  they  cannot  over- 
throw it." 

Furthermore,  it  will  do  no  harm  to  remind  the  members  of  this  self- 
constituted  conference  that  they  each  and  all  represent  sects  that  are  very 
young  in  years  since  the  first  Methodist  was  seen  in  Massachusetts,  and 
Congregationalists,  Presbyterians,  Episcopalians  and  all  the  rest  need 
not  go  back  more  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  to  find  that  their  sects 
were  terrible  persecuted  by  other  sects  that  happened  to  be  in  power. 
We  Communists  cannot  expect,  a  new  system  of  society,  based  on  a  new 
mteryretation  of  the  Scripture,  to  fare  any  better  than  the  grandfathers 


A   THRILLING    ESCAPE.  1? 

•f  the  defines  who  are  to  met  in  Syracuse.  We  probably  shall  go  through 
t»ome  such  experience  as  the  Shakers  have  in  this  country.  Everybody 
respects  them  now  and  speaks  well  of  them,  but  during  the  first  years  of 
their  history  they  were  subject  to  terrible  persecutions,  maltraited  in 
various  ways,  their  meetings  broken  up,  property  destroyed,  their  socie- 
ties threatened  with  violence,  &c.  They  have  lived  down  the  opposition 
to  them,  and  so  has  the  Oneida  Community  in  its  immediate  neighbor- 
hood. It  is  only  necessary  for  our  permanent  peace  that  the  whole  State 
shall  come  to  know  us  as  well  as  our  neighbors  do,  and  the  present  move- 
ment may  help  us  in  that  respect. 

What  was  the  effect  of  the  agitation  of  last  summer  % 
Mr.  Hinds  (smiling) — The  newspaper  notoriety  attracted  attention  in 
a  way  that  increased  the  demand  for  our  manufactured  products,  and  so 
materially  helped  us.     The  present  agitation  may  possible  result  with 
equal  advantage. 

You  have  read  the  formal  call  for  the  meeting.   What  have  you  to  s»f 
as  to  its  assertion  ? 

Mr.  Hinds — Tbe  call  of  the  reverend  gentlemen  asserts  that  the  Com* 
munity  is  doing  "  a  great  wrong  to  society  from  its  deadly  opposition  t* 
the  principles  and  practices  of  Christian  morality."  What  is  meant  by 
this  we  do  not  quite  understand.  Certainly  our  system  is  an  example  i<jf 
good  order  and  temperance.  Professor  Mears  has  publicly  given  us  cred  II 
for  honesty  and  uprightness  in  all  our  dealings.  In  no  instance  with?« 
oar  history  of  thirty  years  have  our  practices  and  principles  been  thruirt 
upon  persons  outside  to  disturb  families  or  create  scandal  of  any  kirn!. 
This  shows  at  least  that  we  are  not  disturbers  or  deadly  opponents  <?f 
Christian  morality,  as  is  put  forth.  As  between  common  marriage  an  4 
41  free  love,"  as  it  is  termed,  or  any  system  of  sexual  morality  that  hi* 
fewer  guarantees  than  marriage,  we  stand  and  always  have  stood  with 
marriage.  Although  we  disclaim  any  principle  of  ownership  as  between 
»an  and  woman,  yet  our  system,  we  claim,  furnished  incomparably  better 
and  safer  guarantees  for  the  protection  of  women  and  the  education  of 
children  than  monogamy.  For  one  individual  who  may  have  left  our 
Community  on  account  of  disappointment  in  regard  to  our  peculiar  idea 
of  social  life  several  have  left  because  they  did  not  find  the  sexual  freedom 
they  anticipated.  Under  our  system  there  is  no  sexual  compulsion ;  every 
person  is  at  liberty  to  live  a  pure  Shaker  life  if  he  or  she  choose ;  in  fact^ 
any  womau  can  live  apart,  as  far  as  sexuality  is  concerned,  from  the  men 
if  she  chooses. 

Have  you  had  many  accessions  from  Oneida  or  vicinity  ? 
Mr.  Hinds-— In  thirty  years  the   accessions  have  not  exceeded  five 
There  have  been  none  from  the  immediate  neighborhood  within  twenty 


J  3  A    THRILLING    ISC  API. 

five  years,  except  one — the  mother  of  a  member  who  was  taken  in  that 
»he  might  be  cared  for  in  her  old  age,  and  she  died  here. 

What  of  the  seceders  of  last  summer  ? 

Mr.  Hinds — Three  of  them  have  already  returned,  and  still  another 
has  applied  to  return. 

How  about  the  health  of  the  children  of  the  Community  f 

Mr.  Hinds — Since  September,  1869,  including  five  cases  of  children 
who  died  at  or  about  birth,  there  have  been  born  in  the  Community  fifty- 
five  children.  Of  the  fifty  who  survived  the  perils  of  birth  all  are  now 
living.  There  have  been  no  deaths  in  the  children's  department  for 
eight  years.  The  department  includes  seven  children  brought  in  here 
by  their  parents,  in  addition  to  the  fifty  born  here. 

Will  the  Community  be  represented  at  Syracuse? 

Mr.  Hinds — Some  member  will  probably  go  to  hear  what  is  said  if  he 
can  obtain  admission.  Joseph  Cook  lectures  in  the  evening.  He  will 
probably  have  something  to  say  on  the  subject. 

What  is  the  business  of  the  Community  ? 

Mr.  Hinds — Trap  making,  silk  manufacturing  and  fruit  and  vegetable 
canning.  These  are  carried  on  mainly  by  outside  people,  superintended 
b.r  Communists. 

How  many  people  are  there  in  the  Community? 

Mr.  Hinds — We  number  about  two  hundred  and  seventy^five  here  and 
twenty-five  at  the  Wallingfbrd  branch. 

How  many  outside  people  do  you  employ? 

Mr.  Hinds — One  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  and  fifty,  accord- 
ing to  the  season— men,  women  and  boys. 


MISS  ALDEN'S   NARRATIVE. 

The  following  is  the  narrative  of  Miss  Akien's  experience  and  advee*. 
lures  as  given  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tareiton. 

"  I  lived  about  a  mile  out  of  Peekskill  with  my  parents.  Father  was 
kind  and  loving  in  his  way  to  ns  but  dreadful  stern ;  and  for  the  least 
infraction  of  his  wishes  he  would  severely  whip  both  myself  and  brother, 
Ned  with  a  hame  strap.  Mother  used  to  stand  up  as  much  as  she  could 
for  as  but  everything  had  to  give  way  to  father,  though  as  I  say,  if  we 
minded  him,  he  was  very  kind.  But  his  peculiar  temperament  made 
hame  anything  but  happy,  as  it  was  a  constant  dread  that  we  would  be 


A   THBILLING    ESCAPE.  19 

doing  something  wrong  all  the  time,  something  he  would  get  displeased 
»bout 

One  day  he  took  us  out  on  an  excursion  up  the  Hudson.  Among  the 
rest  there  was  a  gentleman — at  least  he  seemed  so  at  the  time — named 
Doyle,  who  took  particular  notice  of  me.  He  was  well  dressed,  and  ex« 
tremely  polite  and  fascinating,  so  of  course  like  any  foolish  girl  would  do, 
I  fell  in  love  with  him.  In  conversing  with  him  I  was  quite  captivated. 
The  only  concern  I  felt  was  that  perhaps  he  would  not  please  father  and 
simple  like,  I  informed  him  of  the  latter's  peculiar  disposition.  So  far 
from  this  being  an  objection  to  Mr.  Doyle  he  said: 

"That  is  just  the  kind  of  a  man  I  like.  Yes,  give  me  a  sternly  honest 
father  and  I  know  then  that  his  daughters  and  sons  are  brought  np  right» 
Be  sure  you  tell  your  father  this  remark  of  mine,  but  you  needn't  tell 
him  I  told  you  to,  for  he'd  think  then  maybe  that  I  was  only  flattering 
him.     And  he'd  not  only  be  angry  at  me  but  at  you  also." 

"The  excursion  passed  off  very  pleasantly,  Doyle  once  in  awhile  join» 
ing  father  and  mother,  and  making  some  witty  remark  and  ingratiating 
himself  in  their  good  graces.  How  little  I  knew  then,  how  deeply  and 
devilishly  that  fiendish  man  was  laying  his  plot  and  weaving  a  web 
around  me,  for,  as  I  subsequently  found  out  my  sorrow,  I  was  really  the 
object  of  his  manauvering.  Before  we  had  parted  he  and  I  exchanged 
promises  to  write  to  each  other.  I  did  not  sleep  any  that  night,  nor  much 
far  several  succeeding  nights  on  account  of  my  thinking  constantly  of 
Mr.  Doyle.  A  week  from  the  date  of  the  river  party,  father  received  a 
latter  from  him  of  quite  a  friendly  character,  and  within  it  a  little  note 
ior  me  directed  to  his  care. 

"That's  the  right  style  of  a  man!"  exclaimed  father,  after  he  had  read 
not  only  his  own  letter  but  also  the  one  enclosed  to  myself. 

My  heart  gave  a  strange  flutter  at  this,  and  yet  whether  it  was  one  of 
pleasure  or  not  I  could  not  just  tell.  I  felt  one  thing  certain,  and  thift 
was  that  there  would  be  no  trouble  with  father  making  any  objection« 
to  my  beau,  for  I  looked  upon  Mr.  Doyle  now  as  such.  Father  gave  me 
permission  to  reply  to  him  and  I  did  so  with  great  pleasure.  Never  did 
maiden  send  a  carrier  dove  on  its  mission  to  her  knight  far  away  with 
more  hope  and  anticipation,  than  I  did  my  little  billet  to  Mr.  Doyle.  And 
from  the  very  moment  it  started  I  began  to  be  impatient  for  a  reply.  I 
was  so  curious  to  know  and  read  what  he  would  write  back  to  me.  Both 
tether  and  mother  joked  me  about  my  being  so  lively  ^  and  singing  all  the 
rime.  By  return  of  mail  I  got  a  letter  and  I  shall  never  forget  my  feel* 
rugs,  as  after  cutting  off  the  end  of  the  envelope,  I  drew  out  the  folded 
Bote  sheet,  opened  it,  and  beheld  a  beautifully  colored  buneh  of  flower« 
frinted  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner.     But  when  I  bad  finished  rea&ng 


20  A   THRILLING    BSCAPS. 

the  closely  written  lines  of  admiring  friendship  and  affection  I  bard]/ 
knew,  as  the  saying  goes  whether  I  stood  on  my  heels  or  my  head.  I  do 
know  that  for  several  days  thereafter  I  got  myself  some  little  good- 
natured  scoldings  from  mother  for  making  a  simpleton  of  myself,  doing 
things  about  the  house  wrong.  But  I  need  not  delay  by  going  over 
everything  in  detail  that  happened  during  the  next  few  months.  So  I 
shall  only  say  that  in  that  time  Mr.  Doyle  had  paid  ns  many  visits,  and 
while  I  had  learned  to  love  and  trust  him  implicitly,  mother  had  con* 
ceived  for  him  a  dislike.  She  could  give  no  reason  for  it  when  father 
asked  her  why,  and  that  made  him  angry,  as  usual,  for  he  liked  Do/1© 
exceedingly.  Mother  often  used  to  sit  sewing  and  looking  at  me,  and 
every  now  and  then  I  would  catch  her  crying  silently  all  to  herself.  But 
when  I  would  ask  her  why,  she  would  say : 

"Oh,  nothing."     And  then  she  would  wipe  her  tears  away. 

I  did  not  then  know  her  real  reason  for  this  grief;  but  to  my  OW8 
•orrow  I  learned  it  afterwards  when  she  was  dead  and  gone. 

On  one  of  his  visits  Doyle  had  a  quarrel  with  father  about  some  doe* 
trinal  point  in  religion  and  he  was  forbidden  to  come  to  our  house  any- 
more, while  I  was  told  to  drop  his  acquaintance.  As  he  left  he  managed 
to  slip  a  card  to  me  on  which  was  written:  "Meet  meat  the  old  Walnut 
tree  by  the  Spring,  at  sunset." 

It  is  needless  for  me  to  say  that  I  kept  the  appointment  for  I  was  com . 
pletely  infatuated  with  him  by  this  time  and  would,  woman  like,  hate 
gone  through  fire  and  water  for  his  sake.  It  required  considerable  can- 
ning to  go  there  at  the  time  mentioned,  but  I  managed  it,  and  found  my 
intended  husband  already  there.  We  sat  and  talked  awhile  in  the  deep» 
ening  shadows  of  approaching  night,  and  partaking  of  a  box  of  bon  bom 
which  Doyle  had. 

Our  conversation  was  about  how  we  should  still  keep  up  our  inters 
course  until  we  could  get  married.  But  I  told  him  that  though  I  loved 
film,  I  would  not  do  any  act  that  would  not  be  approved  of  by  my  mother, 
or  at  least,  until  I  had  told  her  that  I  had  made  up  my  mind  to  do  it  be- 
eanse  I  thought  it  was  not  right.  I  remembered  afterwards  his  peculiar 
langh  at  this,  as  he  called  it  my  greenness,  and  his  remarking: 

"Oh,  you  will  get  over  all  that  nonsense  before  long.,r 

A  few  minutes  later  I  felt  myself  growing  not  exactly  sleepy,  but  laay 
as  I  thought,  and  bewildered,  and  clinging  to  him  for  support.  He 
said: 

"Come,  its  getting  damp."  I  rose  mechanically,  and  turned  to  go  with 
aim  with  a  dim  idea  that  I  was  going  home,  and  yet  indifferent  whstber 
I  was  or  not     I  cannot  really  tell  how  I  felt.     I  only  recollect  that  I 


A.   THRILLING    ESCAPE. 

noticed  Doyle  lay  an  envelope  on  the  bench  by  the  spring,  and  then  he 
took  me  away." 

"Ha!"  exclaimed  Tarelton,  "the  villain  had  drugged  you  by  means 
of  those  bon  bons!  that  is  what  he  did ! " 

"Yes,  I  know  it  since  it  was  so.  I  did  not  lose  consciousness,  how« 
•ver,  but  as  I  have  said  I  felt  an  utter  indifference  as  to  where  I  was 
going.  I  remembered  afterwards  feeling  bow  odd  it  was  that  he  should 
put  me  into  a  carriage  that  was  standing  out  on  the  roadway,  but  I  made 
no  objection,  nor  did  I  wish  to.  It  seemed  to  me  to  be  all  right,  and* 
would  get  home  in  good  time.  After  getting  into  the  carriage  I  gradually 
lost  consciousness  altogether,  and  when  I  awoke  I  found  myself  in  a 
dimly  lighted  room,  in  which  beside  the  lounge  on  which  I  was  halfr 
reclining  there  were  only  a  few  chairs  and  a  rocker  besides  a  small  table. 
Doyle  was  in  the  rocker.     I  rose  languidly  and  said : 

"Where  am  If  what  does  this  mean,  Eddie?" 

"  Hello ! "    he  exclaimed,  starting  toward  me,  for  he  had  also  bee« 
asleep,  "you  come  to  easy,  Jenny.     Here,  put  this  in  your  mouth." 

But  I  turned  my  head  away,  for  returning  reason  and  instinct  told  me 
t<i at  something  was  wrong  and  that  I  ought  to  resist. 

"Well,  Jenny,"  said  he,  as  I  did  this,  "I  don't  know,  but  what  you 
atight  as  well  know  what  I  intend  to  do  auyhow.  You  are  mine  any- 
kow  now.  I've  made  sure  of  that.  So  sit  down,  and  listen  to  what  I 
luve  to  tell  you.  I  love  you  a  great  deal,  and  it  will  take  a  tip  top  girlv* 
*>  cut  you  out  with  me  I  tell  you,  if  you  behave  yourself.  I  am  going  to 
»narry  you  all  right  when  I  get  you  up  home  in  Oneida  County.  I  saw 
torn  the  start  what  style  your  father  and  mother  were.  You  know  how 
stern  they  are  about  things,  ana  so  I  had  to  plot  a  little  to  get  you.  I 
know  you  will  forgive  me,  if  you  love  me  as  you  say  you  do." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  asked  I  in  some  bewilderment  as  to  his  inten- 
tions. 

'Come,  sit  down  again,  and  I'll  explain  to  you,  so  you  won't  mis» 
understand."  * 

Passing  his  arm  around  me  he  pulled  me  back  to  the  lounge  and  eat 
down  with  me,  and  recommenced; 

"Now  then  Jenny,  there'll  be  no  good  in  your  getting  mad  about  this 
affair  and  flying  off  at  a  tangent,  not  a  bit." 

He  then  gave  me  the  details  that  I  have  already  told  to  Mrs.  Tarsi* 
ton,  which  caused  the  most  terrible  sorrow  to  take  possession  of  me. 

"I  will  not  remain  another  instant  with  you?"    I  exclaims«,  now 
thoroughly  aroused.     "I  will  go  back  to  father  and  mother." 

"Weh,  you  can't  do  it! "  laughed  he.  "I  fixed  ^  thai  before  I  starts* 
When  you  met  me  at  the  walnut  tree  by  the  Spring,  I  had  a  note  wrtttsct 


£2  A    TUEILLIM.;    ESCAPE. 

hi  your  ijancL  When  you  and  I  walked  away  I  just  laid  that  note  dow* 
on  the  little  bench  you  know.  It  was  directed  to  your  parents.  This  is 
a  copy  of  it  let  me  read  it  to  you,  to  show  \ou  that  they  would  not  let 
you  come  back.  It  would  do  you  no  good  to  tell  them  that  I  wrote  it- 
Tour  hand  writing  was  too  well  imitated.  Listen:  "My  dear  father  and 
mother,  I  have  concluded  to  go  away  with  Mr.  Doyle  and  marry  him. 
Some  day  I  may  come  back  on  a  visit  to  you.  But  I  have  made  up  my 
mind  to  be  my  own  mistress  for  the  rest  of  my  life.  I  love  him  and  shall 
marry  him  honorably  when  we  reach  our  new  home.  And  when  I  settl* 
down  you  will  hear  from  your  ever  loving  daughter.  Jennie." 

I  knew  not  what  to  say.  I  saw  at  a  single  glance  that  I  was  in  a 
predicament  from  which  I  could  not  extricate  myself  with  any  honor.  I 
could  not  go  home  again ;  for  though  I  might  convince  mother  and  even 
perhaps  father  of  my  own  innocence  in  the  matter,  I  could  not  expect  to 
silence  the  tongues  of  the  scores  of  neighbors  who  would  by  this  tim* 
have  learned  of  all  the  particulars  of  my  in  voluntary  elopement 

"  Well,  Jennie,  in  view  of  my  love  for  you,  don't  you  forgive  the  inno» 
cent  bit  of  deception  I  have  practiced  on  you.  Had  I  not  done  so,  I 
would  most  likely  have  lost  you,  and  sooner  than  have  that  happen,  I 
would  made  through  blood  up  to  the  eyes," 

Thus  spoke  Doyle,  and  after  a  long  silence  I  replied : 

"  I  don't  know  what  to  say  to  you  Eddie ;  but  I  hope  you  will  keep  youl 
plighted  word,  your  solemn  promise.  I  see  no  other  course  to  pursue  bat 
to  go  to  your  home  with  you,  trusting  that  I  shall  not  be  farther  deceived 
by  you." 

"That  is  a  sensible  girl,  Jennie,"  said  Doyle,  as  he  drew  ma  to  hue 
and  pressed  me  to  his  lips. 

In  reply  to  my  various  questions  as  to  our  future  place  of  abode,  pro- 
spects and  so  forth  he  gave  me  a  glowing  description,  and  I  began  te 
lose  somewhat  the  heaviness  of  spirits  that  I  had  felt,  at  the  first  dis- 
covery of  his  method  of  proceeding.  The  next  day  we  started  for  Oneida 
County,  and  in  due  course  of  time  we  arrived  at  what  he  called  home. 
XTome!  what  a  dreadful  mis-roomer  is  that  title  when  applied  to  such  a 
place  as  the  Oneida  Free  Love  Settlement !  It  is  nothing  more  nor  less 
than  a  second  edition  of  the  Mormon  system  of  Salt  Lake,  only  in  a  form 
that  is  really  more  offensive  to  any  woman  of  the  least  particle  of  spirit 
©r  the  least  self  appreciation." 

[It  is  a  strangaly  significant  fact  that  all  these  isms  wherein  women 
are  madeHhe  slaves  as  it  were  of  the  men  and  their  degraded  lust,  are 
always  constructed  with  the  utmost  selfishness.  Women  in  Utah  or  the 
Oneida  Communty  have  no  liberty  to  take  several  men  as  their  husbands, 
tot  one  man  has  the  privilege  of  taking  as  many  women  for  what  art 


A    THRILLING    ESCAPE  2& 

mlled  wives,  as  be  can  get.  And  yet,  in  face  of  the  fact,  that,  the  higher 
the  moral  grade  of  women,  the  higher  is  the  grade  of  the  nation,  there 
are  hundreds  who  would  defend  the  horrid  immorality  Editor.] 


'  A  CRUEL  EXPERIENCE. 

"Doyle  took  me  to  a  cottage  that  stood  a  little  distance  off  the  road, 
where  I  found  an  old  woman  of  about  sixty.  She  was  rather  deaf  and 
he  told  me  to  call  her  Aunt  Mary.  He  took  her  out  of  the  room  and  theft 
both  returned  after  a  long  interval.  She  beckoned  to  me  to  follow  her, 
and  doing  so,  I  was  led  up  stairs  to  a  chamber. 

"I'll  be  back  soon,1'  said  Doyle,  as  he  turned  and  went  out. 

I  did  not  feel  disposed  to  talk  for  I  was  weary  and  my  head  ache4 
badly,  so  I  merely  threw  off  my  outside  wraps  and  lying  down  on  ft 
lounge  soon  fell  asleep.  From  this  slumber  I  was  aroused  by  Doyl«, 
whom  I  saw  standing  beside  me  with  a  strange  man.  The  latter  wa* 
introduced  to  me  as  a  magistrate  of  the  district«  He  went  over  soma 
rigmarole,  holding  an  open  book  before  him  and  at  the  end  of  the  cere- 
mony, Doyle  advanced  and  took  my  left  hand  placed  it  flat  on  his  fore- 
head and  uttered  something  that  I  could  not  understand  Then  stepping 
three  paces  he  made  an  arch  like  with  his  arms  and  the  strange  man 
motioned  to  me  to  pass  under  it.  I  did  so  mechanically  and  Doyle  at 
once  lowered  his  arms  three  times  just  as  children  who  play  the  game  of 
London  Bridge.  Each  time  this  occurred  both  he  and  his  companion 
uttered  the  words: 

"Thus  she  becomes  one  of  our  community." 

After  this,  placing  themselves  on  either  side  of  me  they  instructed  me 
to  kneel  three  times  toward  the  East.  This  ended  the  ceremony  and  the 
stranger  took  his  departure,  after,  as  I  thought  exchanging  significant 
glances  with  Doyle. 

Whether  it  was  my  ignorance  or  my  foolish  trust  I  know  not,  but 
whichever  it  was,  it  caused  me  to  not  have  any  suspicion  of  anything 
really  wrong.  I  had  read  in  the  papers  of  different  kinds  of  ceremony  in 
marriages  and  I  judged  this  was  merely  different  from  the  usual  kind  at 
home.  Of  course,  now,  I  know  and  feel  keenly  how  dreadfully  I  was 
deceived,  but  I  never  even  suspected  it  then.  Perhaps  I  might  have  ob- 
jected t?  jft,  and  wanted  my  own  ideas ;  but  when  I  thought  of  how  cruel 


24  A    THRILLING    ESCAPE. 

father  was  sometimes  to  me,  and  that  in  his  bouse  I  would  bavt  bat  a 
*orry  time  of  it,  I  silently  submitted,  trusting  and  hoping  for  the  best. 

For  about  two  mouths  Doyle  was  kind  aud  attentive  to  me,  though 
the  old  woman,  Aunt  Mary,  was  exceedingly  worse  and  disagreeable,  so 
much  so  that  I  hated  to  come  near  her,  or  have  her  come  near  me.  For 
over  a  month  I  scarcely  exchanged  any  conversation  with  any  of  our 
neighbors  for  Doyle  preferred  me  to  keep  at  home,  and  as  he  did  so  in 
the  evenings  I  felt  in  duty  bound  to  please  him  by  obedience  to  his  de- 
sire. But,  as  I  have  said,  the  dream  was  fading  away,  and  the  moment 
was  fast  drawing  near  in  which  I  was  to  waken  to  the  most  terrible 
realization  to  which  any  woman  can  ever  awake — the  moment  in  which 
I  was  to  und  myself  the  discarded  unloved  victim  of  a  base  designing 
man.  During  the  last  week  or  ten  days  of  the  period  I  refer  to,  Doyle 
became  distant  and  cold,  and  once  when  a  man  named  Reynolds  was 
there  spoke  in  a  way  that  I  thought  highly  improper  for  a  husband  to 
Bpeak  to  his  wife  when  any  male  friend  was  present.  But  when  I  spoke 
to  him  about  it  he  merely  snapped  out : 

"Oh,  shut  up  your  mouth,  and  don't  let  me  hear  any  such  prudish 
stuff.     You'll  have  to  learn  to  obey  the  rules  of  the  Community.*' 

"No  Community  rules  will  be  obeyed  by  me  except  what  are  right,  bat 
i  don't  see  what  you  are  at  by  making  that  kind  of  a  remark  when  I 
/pieak  about  a  matter  of  good  manners  when  a  male  irrend  is  present  in 
o»tr  house.  You  know  you  ought  not  to  have  spoken  the  way  you  did, 
ii  you  had  proper  respect  for  me." 

"Bah  !  that's  got  nothing  to  do  with  it  Reynolds  has  taken  quite  a 
fancy  to  you  and  admires  you  very  much,  and  next  month  I  expect  to 
stud  you  over  to  his  house  to  keep  house  for  him  awhile,  and  the  lady 
keeping  for  him  now  is  to  come  here  to  take  your  place!" 

"I'll  die  at  your  feet,  first,  you  villain!"  I  almost  screamed  such  were 
n>y  excitement  and  fury,  for,  silly  and  stupidly  trusting  as  I  had  been  I 
could  not  mistake  this.  The  dark  future  in  store  for  me  appeared  be- 
fore my  mind's  eye  like  the  black  clouds  of  a  thunder  storm,  which  with- 
out any  warning  sometimes  covers  the  fairest  blue  sky." 

"Not  much  you  won't!"  he  retorted  with  a  sneering  laugh.  "Go  op 
stairs!  go  on!" 

"I  won't !"  exclaimed  I,  and  with  a  rush  I  bounded  toward  the  door 
with  the  design  of  making  my  escape.  But  quick  as  were  my  motions/ 
Doyle  was  quicker  and  in  a  moment  more  he  had  me  in  his  arms.  Ho 
was  a  very  muscular  man,  and  with  savage  anger  he  pressed  my  ribe  so 
ughtly  that  I  could  not  breathe,  and  carrying  me  up  stairs  he  threw  me 
aown  so  violently  on  the  floor  as  to  stun  me  for  several  minutes.    When 


«Sä 


A    THRILLIHO    BBCAWL  ft 

I  had  recovered  somewhat,  he  seized  me  again  bj  the  wrists  and  jerking 
me  roughly  to  my  feet  dragged  me  to  a  chair  and  made  me  sit  down. 

"Now,"  hissed  he,  adding  a  dreadfnl  oath,  "if  you  go  to  cutting  up  any 
nonsense,  your  life  won't  be  worth  a  candle  stump  in  twenty  four  hours. 
You  might  as  well  snbmit  first  as  last.  Yon  women  don't  know  when 
you're  well  off." 

"Hold  your  tongue,  yen  contemptible  wretch!"  I  exclaimed.  "I  am 
not  afraid  of  you  ir'  I  am  a  poor  creature  without  friends  here.  You  can 
kill  me  just  as  soon  as  you  like  but  I'll  never  do  such  a.  thing.  Now  I 
know  why  all  the  women  I  meet  here  are  such  sorrowful  looking  cre- 
atures. You  break  their  spirits  and  cow  them  down  with  your  vile 
doings.  They  know  they  have  no  hopes  outside,  if  it  were  known  that 
they  had  been  common  members  of  this  rascally  "Community"  as  you 
call  it.     But  you  cannot  beat  me  down  that  way!" 

Without  another  word  Doyle  seized  me  again  and  hurling  me  on  tbt 
floor  reached  over  to  the  bed  and  taking  off  it  a  quilt  deliberately  rolled 
me  in  it  like  a  log  of  wood,  my  frantic  struggles,  amounting  to  no  more 
than  would  those  of  an  infant  Until  this  moment  I  had  not  made  any 
noise;  but  now  finding  myself  deprived  of  the  use  of  my  arms  and  limbs 
I  began  to  scream  as  loudly  as  I  could,  which  was  not  very  loud  as  tk* 
compression  of  the  quilt  on  my  body  was  so  tight. 

"Ha!"  he  laughed,  "I'll  soon  stop  that  kind  of  singing!"  and  the  next 
moment  rolling  up  a  handkerchief  into  a  ball  he  thrust  it  in  my  mouth. 
This  finished  my  resistance  for  I  at  once  bagan  to  suffocate  and  in  a  short 
time  lost  all  consciousness.  When  I  regained  my  senses  I  found  myself 
alone  in  the  room  locked  in  and  therefore  a  prisoner.  I  was  lying  on  the 
bed,  free  from  the  quilt  or  any  other  restraint,  but  when  I  tried  to  get  up 
I  was  so  weak  that  I  could  not  do  it.  I  laid  there,  surmising  what  would 
some  to  me  next,  and  was  thus  occupied,  when  the  key  in  the  lock 
turned,  the  door  was  pushed  open  and  there  stood  Doyle,  with  a  sardonic 
grin  upon  his  face. 

"Well,  my  dear  little  she  d 1,"  said  he  after  contemplating  me  im 

silence  for  awhile,  "do  you  want  to  have  another  taming  ?" 

I  shook  my  head  but  made  no  reply. 

"All  right,"  continued  he,  "you  learn  to  behave  yourself  and  do  as  you 
are  bidden  and  it  will  be  better  for  you.  Here,  get  up  and  come  to  the 
window  I  want  to  show  you  something." 

I  raised  myself  on  my  elbow,  but  fell  back  again  and  closed  my  eyes. 
He  immediately  uncorked  a  flask  and  gave  me  a  small  dose  of  brandy, 
which  stimulated  me,  and  in  a  few  minutes  with  Doyle's  help  I  got  to  the 
window.  liaising  the  sash  he  bade  me  look  into  the  yard,  first,  however 
leaning  out  himseJf  aud  snapping  his  fingers,  and  giving  such  a  whistle 


2$  A    THRILLING    ESCAPE. 

as  men  call  dogs  with.  I  put  my  head  out  and  in  an  instant  a  feroeiou« 
looking  dog  leaped  up  against  the  wall  of  the  house,  gnashing  his  teeth 
and  uttering  the  cry  peculiar  to  he  Georgia  blood  hound.  I  quickly 
drew  back  and  Doyle  gloatingly  remarked  as  he  shut  down  the  sash : 

"The  door's  bolted,  Jenny,  and  the  window,  we'll  leave  open  for  you 
if  you  wish  to  go  out  that  direction.  And  the  only  way  you  can  leave  this 
room  is  by  submitting  to  the  rules,  or  climbing  out  to  Nero  there,  and  if 
be  gets  hold  of  you — well — " 

"Give  me  a  few  days  to  consider  it,"  said  I  at  length  to  gain  time,  for 
I  had  already  resolved  on  my  plan  of  action. 

"All  right,"  said  he  and  he  then  left  the  room. 

My  father  used  to  have  just  such  a  dog  as  Nero  and  I  knew  exactly 
how  to  conquer  him.  The  window  therefore  had  no  terrors  for  me  though 
I  had  been  careful  not  to  let  Doyle  perceive  this. 

"I  want  an  answer  by  next  Saturday  night,"  said  Doyle,  coming  back 
and  looking  in  at  me. 

I  told  him  I  would  do  so.  Thursday  night  came  and  with  it  weather 
fuvorable  for  my  design  a  drizzley  dull  evening.  From  an  old  bonnet 
he»x  that  lay  in  the  bottom  of  the  closet  I  made  a  funnel,  in  the  small  end 
«f  which  I  inserted  a  half  of  a  broom  stick  and  bound  tt  securely  in  itfl 
position  with  an  old  corset  lace  which  I  got  also  from  the  closet.  Inside 
ius  funnel,  which  was  about  ten  inches  across  the  mouth,  I  placed  a  bunch 
d\  matches,  fastening  them  to  the  extremity  of  the  stick  with  some  twine. 
1  then  dampened  them  so  that  they  would  not  ignite.  Next  with  a  piece 
«f  flannel  I  rubbed  the  lucifer  ends  till  they  glowed  and  threw  out  a 
luge  cloud  of  firy  smoke.  In  the  afternoon  I  had  already  cut  up  and 
plaited  two  sheets,  first  tearing  them  in  suitable  strips.  Everything 
fo&ing  ready  I  resolved  to  make  my  desperate  endeavor  to  get  away  from 
Viis  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  region.  Carefully  pushing  up  the  window 
eash,  I  put  out  the  funnel  aud  rapidly  let  it  down  with  the  sheet  rope. 
Ill  this  way  no  stray  eyes  could  observe  the  glow  of  the  phosphorus  on 
tl/ie  matches,  except  of  course,  the  dog  and  they  were  intended  for  his 
social  inspection.  A  moment  or  two  later  I  slipped  across  the  ledge 
and  quickly  descended  to  the  ground.  The  dog  lay  asleep  in  his  box ; 
but  rousing  the  instant  my  feet  touched  the  earth  rushed  at  me  with  a 
snarl.  But  quick  as  he  was,  I  was  ready  for  him  and  thrust  the  funnel 
on  his  head,  in  such  a  way  that  while  he  saw  the  luminous  phosphorus 
he  also  got  the  full  effect  of  its  deadly  fumes  in  his  nose  and  lungs. 
Gasping  and  terrified  he  sluük  away  to  his  box,  while  I  safely  took  my 
departure.  I  knew  the  direction  to  Syracuse  and  so  I  took  that  road, 
but  had  not  gone  more  than  a  few  rods  ^hen  I  saw  in  the  gloom  within 
twenty  feet,  the  figure  of  a  man.     Something  told  me  it  was  Doyle  and 


A    THRILLING    ESCAPE.  3ft> 

like  a  shot  I  crouched  close  down  by  a  tree,  and  almost  felt  his  coat  brnsk 
me  as  he  went  by.  When  his  steps  had  died  out  I  rose  and  hurried  on. 
He  must  have  gone  directly  to  my  room,  for,  in  less  than  ten  minutes  I 
saw  two  lanterns  coming  along  the  road  after  me,  evidently  carried  by 
men  running  and  presently,  I  also  began  to  run,  I  heard  the  baying  of 
the  hound.  Immediately  I  left  the  road  and  entered  the  woods  which  hap- 
pened to  be  there,  intending  to  get  the  dog  in  some  thicket  and  silence 
him  without  his  master  seeing  me.  Luckily  I  still  retained  the  funnel 
;>As  I  had  expected  the  beast  with  his  unerring  instinct  traced  my  winding 
footsteps  exactly,  and  halting  behind  a  clump  of  bushes  I  kneeled  down 
and  awaited  his  onslaught  watching  also  the  occasional  flashings  of  the 
lanterns  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  behind  him.  I  had  not  long  to  wait» 
and  with  a  rush  he  came  upon  me.  But  keeping  perfectly  cool  I  hooded 
him  by  a  dexterous  movement  and  as  he  sank  down  with  the  fames  of 
the  phosphorus,  I  groped  around  hastily  on  the  ground  till  I  got  if 
leavy  stone,  with  which  I  struck  him  a  dozen  blows  as  hard  as  I  could 
give  them  on  his  head,  which  I  have  no  doubt  killed  him.  This  done  I 
hurried  away  with  quick  but  stealthy  steps  through  the  darkness  toward! 
the  road  again,  watching  the  lanterns  flitting  along  among  the  trees. 

As  soon  as  the  dog  stopped  baying  his  master  and  companion  were  H 
a  loss  how  to  proceed  and  they  began  to  call  and  whistle  for  him.  I  du 
not  wait  of  course  to  see  if  they  would  find  him,  but  getting  to  the  roal 
hastened  onward.  Shortly  after  daylight  I  got  to  a  farm  house,  and  aft 
pealing  to  the  farmer's  wife,  Mrs.  Horton,  she  gave  me  shelter  aoi 
promised  me  protection  in  case  of  pursuit.  Through  her  also  I  obtained 
a  ticket  to  my  home  to  which  I  resolved  to  go  and  take  the  risk  of  ma!» 
ing  peace  with  father.  Both  she  and  her  family  treated  me  very  kindly, 
and  when  I  went  to  the  station  the  two  sons  drove  me  there  in  the  car» 
riage.  When  I  got  to  Peekskill,  there  I  met  Doyle  close  by  the  depot. 
He  had,  after  tracing  me  toward  Syracuse  lost  the  trail,  and  shrewdl  j 
suspecting  that  I  would  try  to  make  my  way  home  had  come  hither. 

"So  I've  caught  you  at  last,"  exclaimed  he,  "coming  up  to  me  and 
speaking  in  a  tone  of  rough  imperiousness. 

"You  had  better  go  about  your  business,"  replied  I,  "or  I  will  hav* 
you  caught  in  a  way  you  will  not  relish." 

"Why  you're  my  wife  and  you  must  go  back  with  me,"  resumed  he. 

"Ah,  I  must !  must  I?  well  I  acknowledge  I  was  a  simpleton,  a  silly 
fool  to  let  you  trick  and  deceive  me  the  way  you  have,  but  you  cannot 
frighten  me  by  threats,  at  least  not  here,  whatever  yen  may  have  been 
able  to  do  up  in  the  vile  county  of  your  Oneida  Community.  Not  only 
thai  bat  I  am  fully  resolved  to  expose  you  all.     Here  comes  a  friend  of 


30 


A   THRILLING    SSCAP1. 


mine,  and  I  think  I  will  get  him  to  arrest  you,  and  we'll  see  what  your  task 
amounts  to." 

"I'll  kill  you  before  I  let  you  escape  me!"  hissed  Doyle,  and  the  next 
moment  he  had  slipped  into  the  depot,  and  disappeared. 

In  spite  of  my  bold  wordi  I  felt  as  I  saw  the  evil  look  on  his  face,  a 
strange,  undefinable  dread  come  over  me,  and  I  hare  not  been  able  fee 
shake  it  off. 

"Then  have  you  seen  him  since  that  again.*1 

"Oh  yes,  twice  he  has  approached  me." 

"Well,  couldn't  your  people  afford  you  any  protection  ?* 

"No,  sir,  for  mother  died  from  the  effects  of  a  railroad  accident  on  the 
Hudson  River  Eoad,  father  has  moved  away  to  the  West  and  taken  Ned 
aloDg  with  him.  So  I  am  entirely  alone,  and  I  fear  that  that  wicked  man 
Boyle  will  yet  be  the  end  ot  me." 

"Have  you  seen  him  since  you  came  to  New  York?" 

"Once  I  think,  but  I  will  not  be  sure.  I  came  to  New  York  here  with 
the  hope  that  I  should  find  a  place  with  some  respectable  family  and  than 
ba  free  from  this  peril." 

"Well,  said  Mr.  Tarelton,  we'll  help  you  all  we  can,  Miss  Alden,  tar 
we  see  you're  a  thoroughly  respectable  and  worthy  young  woman,  and 
we  can  most  likely  get  you  a  good  place,  but  you  take  my  advice  and  go 
state  your  case  to  Mr.  Talmadge  or  some  other  celebrated  man;  for  tlufc 
vWe  community  ought  to  be  wiped  out  of  existence. n 

For  nearly  two  weeks  after  this  date  the  Tareltons  kept  Jenny  wKk 
them  and  had  the  promise  of  a  place  for  her  on  the  following  Monday. 
titn  Sunday  she  went  to  church  in  high  spirits,  and  that  is  the  last  that 
his  ever  been  heard  of  her  though  the  most  diligent  search  has  been  made, 
there  are  not  a  few  who  affirm  that  there  is  not  the  slightest  doubt  that 
Sie  body  found  in  the  river  just  out  of  Charlestown,  MasaachsMtts, 
was  that  of  poor  Jenny  Aides.    And  whe  can  say  it  was  not 


i- 


t 


.>* 


•"  >< 


Kr  f*  K>.'.«fc.iÄ&UV  ^  .  ....  .>  'iflÄ.'«.  *«*<!* 


The  foolish  girl  little  dreamed  what  the  villains  were  doing  to  hear. 
jDa«  Uidjtaimtigc  Sftnbdjen  atynte  ni^t,  was  mitityr  ttorgcnomnten  nmvfce. 


